THE FORSAKEN PLANET

BRYAN WILSON

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Author’s Note

About the Author

The Forsaken Planet is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright ©2023 by Bryan Wilson

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permissions contact: bryan@bryanwilsonauthor.com

ISBN 979-8-218-21620-7 (paperback)—KDP ISBN 9798392791514

www.bryanwilsonauthor.com

To my daughters.

May you always remember that when it comes to your dreams,

making the attempt garners its own form of success.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I first want to thank my wife. Patient zero in reading the story in full and offering editing critique, you also dealt with the weekly or monthly stretches where I turned into a zombified version of myself whenever my mind disappeared to Vintara. There were years-long gaps where I didn’t touch the novel, but whenever I jumped in, I dove hard, and you always supported me. Thank you, Love.

Next, I need to thank my good friend, Mike. You spent your time investing in my story and suffering through an encyclopedia of questions I had, never seeming bothered and never once asking for anything in return. You will forever have my thanks and gratitude.

I would also like to thank all the beta readers outside of my inner circle. Two especially: Dana Thompson from Goodreads and Sidharthhj from Fiverr. Every beta met my expectations, but the two of you went above and beyond, genuinely becoming invested in my story and answering many more questions than I expected. Thank you.

Lastly, Gary Smailes from Bubblecow editing services. Your manuscript assessment was an invaluable piece in helping the overall story reach its full potential. I thank you for the thorough report and quick delivery of it. For any other authors looking for services, you can’t go wrong with Bubblecow.

PROLOGUE

As the sun set, Quinnero’s two moons shined bright in the red sky, casting a crimson glow upon the fortress yard where the large crowd had gathered. The planet Oldir, a fist-sized orange circle in the distance, became more visible with every passing second. Before long, it would stand out like a beacon, lighting up the nighttime heavens.

Darys glanced upward from the central platform upon which he stood. The air was void of crafts, but he imagined being up in one, staring down at the Fortress of Flame’s walls. Built with Solara-infused red stone, the structure always looked like a colossal flame from the sky, the last holding out on a planet long burned to dust. He wondered if the crowd currently gathered inside made that flame appear fuller.

Like a fire ready to spread, he thought.

Second-in-command of the Quinnero forces, Darys lowered his eyes to the assembly. The working-class had been invited to witness their lord’s speech. They were people he respected, struggling to survive amongst the sandy deserts, jagged black rocks, and dying brush that inhabited most of the planet. The opposite of the ignorant and entitled scum he had grown up with on Vintara.

He was drawn to a young boy in the crowd, staring up at him. The child gazed at the old scar disfiguring the right side of Darys’ face before locking onto his eyes. The youngster bore deeply into the pools of black as if he would find the hero he had heard about there. But he finally gave up his search and glanced away, frightened.

In the past, a child turning from him in terror would have bothered Darys. But that was before he understood the power fear held over people.

His lord’s two massive twins were proof of that. Standing to his rear, their black cloaks draped from neck to heel over their black vests and pants. Long scythes hung around their backs, with hoods pulled down obscuring their faces. Even he didn’t know what lay beneath those dark openings and was jealous of that powerful fear the mystery induced in others.

When a wave of applause broke out, Darys focused back on Lord Heart. The man stood at the center of the platform, holding the crowd’s attention. Shortest of the four, he had copper-red hair and black eyes, like Darys’, with a slight orange gleam glowing within. He wore no cloak but had on a tight, blood-red shirt tucked into pants of the same color. A yellow symbol of a ten-pointed star sitting in the middle of a small orange flame was embroidered on his left breast.

He stood on the center of the platform, placed in the center of the crowd, gathered in the exact center of the fortress yard. No one could mistake his lord. He was The Heart of the Flame.

Addressing the tens of thousands before him, Lord Heart neared the end of his speech, preparing to set the future for all of those around him in motion. “At long last, my brothers, sisters, friends, and family. Today marks the beginning of a new era. One which will see our people rise above all others and fulfill the greatest of destinies.”

He paused, and Darys watched many in the crowd pat their companions on the back. Some grabbed their children and hugged them with tears of joy streaming down their faces. These youngsters scrambled from their parent’s grasp, eager to hear the rest.

Lord Heart smiled before continuing in a voice that resonated throughout the entire fortress, “Here, where the prophecy was found, will the fulfillment begin. We shall go to the forsaken planet and show our strength. This universe will learn who I truly am!”

As he shouted, people closed their eyes and lifted their smiling faces toward the stars. Others shook hands and yelled, “Praise Lord Heart of the Flame, The Son of the Prophets.”

He made a fist to the crowd. “We will no longer be oppressed by the wretched entitlement of the Throne. The bastard king shall learn he does not control this universe.”

Hewing the name, a few shouts of “Death to the king” arose.

“We will reveal ourselves, and the secret shall be exposed. When civilians of the other systems realize their mistake, let them come to us in fear. Welcome them as additions to our cause, friends to stand at our sides when we burn away the viruses from our worlds.”

As another cheer rang out, Lord Heart glanced around the courtyard with a fatherly smile. He finished with words that seemed to echo across the planet. “Brace yourselves. The time is now. Praise the prophets. Honor your families. And let the fulfillment guide us all to harmony.”

The crowd erupted as everyone screamed and jumped in glee. Men, women, and children alike wielded colorful Solara energies into the air, motioning with prayers to the stars and prophets.

Lord Heart turned, and the smile transformed on his face. “Let it begin,” he declared with a smirk.

Darys was the last within the yard to again stare into the sky towards a solar system he believed held a lonely, forsaken planet.

1

A gust blew a group of red, yellow, and green leaves across the road where Colton Samson drove with his windows down. He soaked in the fresh fall breeze as it rustled through his car, enjoying the last bit of warm air before the winter cold rushed into the New England states.

Exhausted from a full day of classes, he narrowly beat the rush hour commute home. That is what, in a stupor, he thought over when the cell phone's vibration in his pocket jolted him back into focus. His dash flashed the name of his best friend, Tommy Wilmont.

“What’s up, man?” he answered.

“What’s going on? You home yet?”

“No, hit a little traffic. People don’t know how to drive.”

Tommy grunted. “I get it. I’m on 95 this morning and see the guy behind me somehow driving with coffee in one hand, a tablet in the other, laughing hysterically while watching something on the stupid thing.”

Colton shook his head as he rounded a corner, almost to his house. “I got stuck behind a guy a few minutes ago, holding a line of us up at a green light so he could get the right selfie to post.” 

Tommy chuckled. “What a world.”

“So, what’s the deal with tonight?” Colton asked.

His friend yawned. “I don’t know, but I’m not in the mood for anything crazy.”

Colton agreed, considering he had to work in the morning.

“Maybe a small fire in my backyard,” Tommy suggested.

Colton’s stomach grumbled as he turned onto his street. “All right, that sounds good. I’m just pulling in now. Let me eat, shower, and I’ll call you.”

“Will do. Later.”

Colton pulled into his driveway, shut the engine off, grabbed his books, and walked out into the fall air. He lived with his parents in the suburbs, about an hour from New York City. There were six houses on a dead-end street, all surrounded by a long stretch of woods. They lived in a house on the end of the cul-de-sac, the right side of his home facing the deepest stretch of trees. For a small but busy town, they lived in one of the last private and peaceful areas left.

He smiled as he stared into the woods where the leaves were all changing color, one of the many things that made autumn his favorite time of year.

Walking into the house, Colton smelled food cooking. He headed straight for the kitchen, where his mom stood over the stove, work clothes and curly hair in disarray. She smiled as he walked in. He grinned when eyeing the roast in the oven.

“It’ll be ready in a little while,” she said.

He nodded as his dog, Kado, came running down the hallway to say hello. The black lab jumped up, placing both paws on his chest. Colton rubbed the dog’s head and asked, “What’s up, bud? How’s your day going?”

The dog didn’t answer. He only had one thing on his mind: to take Colton to the ground.

After wrestling for a couple of minutes, Colton made for the shower. He soaked under the warm water for a long while, dwelling on term papers and projects, about work at the bookstore in the morning, and about a slab of meat and gravy on a plate. When finished, he headed to the kitchen.

Sometime during the shower, his dad had gotten home. Wearing his usual zippered fleece and khakis, he was already sitting and eating beside Colton’s mom.

“Thanks for waiting,” Colton chided as they both chowed down.

His dad snorted. “Oh yes, because you would be the first to do that.”

Colton made a plate and took the empty seat at the end of the table. As he sat, he felt a familiar weight on his lap and looked down to see Kado grinning up at him. His mom didn’t like the dog begging. He waited for her to look away when she asked his dad about work and slipped a piece of meat under the table.

“Busy,” his father answered, running his fingers through his graying hair. “I’m still backed up from taking Joe and Mary to New York the other day.” He frowned and looked over to Colton. “Speaking of work, have you figured out what you want to do with your life, Colton?”

That was a favorite question of his. Colton shoved a piece in his mouth and answered in a mumble, “Oh, I’ll figure it out eventually.”

His dad grunted.

Colton shrugged. He worried about it enough. At that moment, he only wanted to focus on the tender and tasty roast.

While he ate, his mom asked about his brother, Joe, and Joe’s wife, Mary. “So, no luck finding them a place in the city, Rob?”

His dad grunted. “Nothing in their price range.”

As they discussed Joe, Colton finished his food, let Kado lick the plate, and had just risen to put his dish in the sink when his phone rang down the hall. He ran to catch it.

“What’s going on, Tommy?” he answered.

“Not too much. Ace is coming over with the boys in a bit. I guess we’ll have that fire unless something else comes up.

“All right. I’m pretty much ready, so I’ll head over in a few.”

After hanging up, Colton gathered some things before walking down the hall to the living room. His parents sat on the couch watching television. Kado greeted him with a cotton-filled football in his mouth.

“Sorry, pup, I’m heading out. I’ll see you when I get home, okay?”

“Heading out to find your way in life?” Apparently, his dad wasn’t all that focused on the TV.

His mom glanced at her husband and shook her head.

Colton grabbed the football and chucked it at his father before saying, “I’m going to Tommy’s.”

“Be careful,” his parents said as he walked to the door. “Love you.”

“Love you too, see you later.”

He stepped outside into a star-filled, cloudless sky. A full moon lit up his yard and the street. He walked into the garage and grabbed a few beers out of the fridge there.

Tommy lived close, so it was less than five minutes before Colton pulled into his friend’s driveway. It was a short walk past his colonial style house, into the thick woods, and down a twenty-foot dirt path to the fire pit.

“What’s going on?” Tommy called out as Colton entered the clearing, where a fire was lit and a game played on the radio.

“What’s up, brother? Where is everyone?”

“On their way.” Tommy grabbed a beer out of the cooler and held it up in offering, the fire’s reflection sparkling in his amber-colored eyes.

Colton refused, showing one of his own.

Tommy put the drink back and began picking at a callus on his dark-brown hands.

Sitting next to his friend, as always, Colton felt small. Tommy was a few inches over six feet, the tallest in their group of friends. And with a broad build from working as a carpenter, he was also the strongest.

Minutes passed while the two listened to the game and talked amongst themselves. They got into a heated discussion over who the best pitcher in the league was when footsteps approached.

Ace Castillo sat to the right of Colton, chiming in, “Definitely Perez, Colt.” He turned his hazel eyes toward Tommy. “Don’t let his stubborn moronicness try to tell you differently, Tom.”

Tommy gave the ‘told-you-so’ look.

“Oh yes, like I’m going to listen to someone who thinks ‘moronic-ness’ is a word,” Colton replied.

Ace laughed, shaking his head of finger-length brown hair.

Charlie Morris, referred to as ‘Morris’ by the group, sat to the right of Ace. His pale white skin stood out in contrast to the dark night, and being short and stocky with a chubbier physique, he looked different from the rest of their tall, leaner-built group of friends.

Behind Ace and Morris came the final two, TJ McPhee and Scotty Dockson. Always the most put together, TJ showed up to the fire in a tucked-in-button-down and khakis, while Scotty’s dirty blond hair was neatly combed and slicked like he was about to go to the club.

Colton was surprised to see TJ. He lived away at a college in Pennsylvania. Studying to be a lawyer, everyone always assumed he would be the most successful in their group of friends. “What the hell are you doing home?” Colton asked him.

TJ smiled. “It’s too boring back in the city, wanted some fun.”

That caused a chuckle from the entire group, as they believed they lived in one of the more boring towns in the country.

“No, it’s my dad’s birthday,” TJ added. “I’m taking him out to eat tomorrow.”

Colton nodded.

Scotty took a seat before saying, “Oh man, TJ, I forgot to tell you about the fight the other night.”

TJ’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

Morris grunted. “Yeah, Ace wanted to get laid, and we all almost got arrested because of it.”

Ace frowned. “Hey, I did nothing wrong. A cute girl sits next to me and starts talking; I’m going to talk back. It’s not my problem if she overly enjoys the conversation.”

“It was when her boyfriend became pissed,” Colton noted.

“Here we go,” TJ said in anticipation.

“Boyfriend comes over with some big douche bag,” Ace explained, shaking his head. “He asks me if I have a problem. So I point to the girl leaning over in my lap, not knowing she’s his girlfriend, and say, ‘With this beautiful thing next to me, does it look like I have a problem?’”

“Oh no,” TJ chuckled.

“Ace got pushed off of the stool,” Scotty confirmed.

“And kicked while I was on the ground,” Ace added. “Thank goodness for Tommy over here. Before any of these other schleps even moved an inch, Tommy threw one fool over the bar and planted a black eye on the other.”

Tommy shrugged. He wasn’t one for violence, but he also wasn’t one to watch a friend get stomped while down on the ground.

“Nice, Tom,” TJ said. “So you guys bailed?”

“Yeah, we weren’t waiting around for the cops,” Morris answered.

A couple of hours flew by quickly as they talked and caught up. They hadn’t been together like that in a while, and Colton found it pleasant. But even enjoying himself, he couldn’t kill his fatigue or stop thinking about the work he had to do in the coming days. He was about to call it a night and catch up on some sleep when Scotty banged the radio and asked, “What’s wrong with this thing?”

Everyone stopped to listen as Scotty turned the volume up. The signal kept bouncing in and out. The announcer’s voice fluctuated over the static, “I’m sorry ladies and gentle...difficulties with the...not quite sure...give us a min...”

Colton quit paying attention as he thought the game sucked, anyway.

They all shrugged it off when Scotty again drew them back. “Wait. What are they saying?”

“Crowd seems distrac...can’t see from here...pointing towards the sk...people are panicki...tumbling over...players running off...”

The radio died out, and all they heard was static.

Ace remained frozen with a beer halfway up to his open mouth. Morris looked just as confused, with one eyebrow raised in an arch. TJ scrolled through his phone, looking for what was happening. And Scotty sat on the ground slapping the radio. Tommy looked worried, making Colton decide to break the silence.

“We should get to a TV.”

Tommy stared at him a moment, lost in thought, before he got up and darted towards his house. The rest all followed suit.

What the hell is going on? Colton wondered.

He stepped out into Tommy’s backyard, where Tommy’s parents stood on the porch in their robes, hugging one another and staring up into the sky. He was about to ask what had happened when he noticed his friend doing the same. He stopped walking and looked up.

At first, he couldn’t tell what was different, but he knew something wasn’t right. The nighttime sky appeared more crowded than usual, as if every star in the universe had become visible.

And then the stars moved.

What started as a few turned into hundreds, then thousands, of red, yellow, and orange lights getting closer in the sky. He stared awestruck as they changed from tiny clusters of shapes to separate visible objects. They reached a point he estimated was a little higher than the altitude of a commercial airplane before stopping. They remained scattered in all directions, sitting still and hovering.

A minute went by as the aircrafts remained unmoving. Colton was just about to say something when from the corner of his eye, he saw one shoot forward with a speed he wouldn’t have thought possible. Two more followed, but the rest stayed in place.

As the crafts got closer, he noticed they had a triangular look and some sort of flame-like insignia on their side. A blue light at the back seemingly propelled them forward, glowing brighter in intensity the faster the craft moved. They maneuvered straight toward where he stood, leveling off at a couple hundred feet and passing over his head. The only sound he heard was the slight rustling of the wind.

A circular object flew out of the ship that had been the first to head toward the surface. The object hovered in midair for a second before dropping out of sight behind the tree line. A moment later, an explosion vibrated the ground at Colton’s feet. He flinched and threw his hands up as a massive black cloud rose above the trees.

“What was that?” TJ yelled from behind him.

“A bomb,” Colton responded in a numb tone.

“Where’d it hit?” Morris asked.

Colton knew. He realized it the second the object dropped straight down. There was only one thing besides woods in that direction.

Tommy must have known, too, because he turned around, and his horrified face stared into Colton’s eyes.

Colton could barely mutter, “My street.”

2

Heart racing, Colton pulled out his phone to call his parents. When it failed, he noticed an X through his service bars. A cold shiver passed down his spine.

He shook it away and thought, I have to get home.

He ran to his car as the craft that released the bomb began descending behind the tree line, where the cloud of smoke grew. The sound of other explosions echoed in the distance.

“What are you doing?” Tommy shouted.

Colton gripped the door handle and turned to his friend. “What do you think I’m doing?” Without waiting for a response, he jumped in and started the ignition.

Two passenger doors opened, and Morris and TJ hopped in.

“I’m sure they’re fine, Colt,” TJ said from the passenger seat.

Colton took off from the driveway, noticing Tommy, Ace, and Scotty getting into Ace’s car. Driving down the road, he saw two other clouds of smoke rising into the air, coming from deeper within his town.

His heart sank as he approached his street. The flames were evident even through the trees. He turned onto it, and horror consumed him as five of the six houses, including his own, were up in flames. The middle house across from his, the Fretz’s, had taken the worst hit. Only one partial wall remained standing, as the rest had collapsed into a burning pile. By the location of the impact crater, the bomb had landed between that house and the center of the street.

The crater made the road impassable, so they all jumped out and ran towards his house. Colton was the first to reach it, and when he did, he froze. The front left corner was blown apart, thick black smoke pouring out of the hole that had been his bedroom. The rest of the house was engulfed in flames, and his parents’ cars were flipped on their hoods. The blood ran cold in his veins. He had to look away as a feeling of disgust overwhelmed him.

Tommy, Ace, and Scotty appeared at his side.

Colton stared up at Tommy and asked, “Why would this happen? Who would do this?”

His friend shook his head. “I don’t know, brother.”

“What the hell am I doing? They might be passed out in there. I have to check. I have to do something.” Colton motioned to run inside, but Tommy restrained and held him back.

“Colton, you can’t,” Scotty pleaded. “There isn’t a foot of that house not burning on fire.”

He didn’t care. He had to attempt it.

Tommy spun him around and tried comforting him. “Maybe they’re not in there. They could’ve gone somewhere, or they—”

Ace cut him off, pointing at the right side of the house and shouting, “Look.”

Colton turned, and his heart leaped as two shadows appeared, walking out from the backyard. Tommy let him go, and he ran toward them. He made it about three bounds before they appeared in the light, and he stopped. They weren’t his parents. They were two men he didn’t recognize. The hope that had sprouted drained out of him.

One man nudged the other and pointed his way. They came trotting over, and Colton noticed they wore identical clothing: black suits, a yellow and orange flame riding up each side, with a red star embroidered on both chests. Strangely, red capes billowed behind them, and each had what looked to be a small axe looped on a belt around their waist.

Colton didn’t dwell on the oddities. “Have you seen anyone around the back, or anywhere here?” he asked.

The two stopped and looked at one another. A grin appeared on one of their faces.

What the hell is he smiling at? Colton thought, an instant dislike towards the man coming over him.

Once the two were in front of him, he was shocked and a little unnerved to realize that they didn’t seem to have any whites in their eyes. Only blackness stared back at him. He figured it must have been the dark playing tricks on him but was glad when his friends approached behind.

The man on the left looked at him with narrowed, beady black eyes and answered in a nasally accent, “Lousy luck, lad, only a few corpses.”

“No,” Colton muttered.

The same man said in exasperation, “I know. First Forsaken structure I destroy, and it wields no trophies.”

Colton frowned, replaying the words in his mind before a wave of anger built in him. Both his fists tightened as he asked, “What did you say?”

The man shrugged and replied, “I wanted to take their heads, you see, but a charcoaled head on the wall would not sit well with the lady of the house.”

A seething rage took control of Colton. He stepped towards the two and growled, “You shot this house down?”

“That I did,” Beady-Eyes responded in a nonchalant tone

By that point, the anger overwhelmed the grief. Colton barely made out one of his friends behind him whisper, “Impossible.” And while he didn’t understand what was happening, he knew he had found his parents’ murderers.

He turned to his friends and said, “You should get out of here.”

Not one of them moved. Their faces all mirrored the hatred he felt.

Tommy glared at the two and responded, “Your parents were good people, Colt. They didn’t deserve to die at the hands of these two assholes.”

Colton nodded. If it had been Tommy’s parents, he’d have done the same. Shifting back to stare at the two men he wanted to rip apart piece by piece, he was unsettled by the lack of worry on Beady-Eyes’ face. The man looked curious.

In that strange accent, he declared in disbelief, “Let the prophets bless my trousers. The little Forsaken is going to attack me.”

The other, looking somewhat uneasy, gave off a nervous titter.

“Was this your home, boy?” Beady-Eyes continued. “Because your head will make quite a good trophy. I do think my lady might like your pretty face.”

The tension drew back momentarily as the crafts that had stayed up in the sky started to move. They disappeared into space, and the second stranger said, “The ships are leaving. The Throne must be coming. We would do best to get out of here.”

The worries of his companion didn’t seem to bother Beady-Eyes. He responded with a sneer, “We will just have to be quick.” He strode forward, drawing the axe at his waist.

Colton’s friends moved up beside him.

The second man drew his weapon and warned, “You stay back, lads. Unless you want your heads escorted to a different planet as well.”

The words had no effect. When Colton charged, his friends followed. He ran straight at Beady-Eyes, jumping to the side to avoid the swing of the man’s axe directed at his neck. Beady-Eyes tried closing in on him, but TJ jumped into the mix and pushed him half to the ground. Colton attempted to reach the man before he recovered, but Beady-Eyes used his weapon to steady himself from falling and punched TJ in the face, sending him dropping. He simultaneously used his foot to toss Colton back.

Colton landed near TJ and bent to help lift him back up. Beady-Eyes rushed towards them again. He would have closed on them before they could react, but Scotty jumped onto the man’s back from the darkness behind, struggling with his arms around Beady-Eyes’ neck.

Colton and TJ tried to help, but when the first opening presented itself, Beady-Eyes elbowed Scotty in the face, dropping him to his knees as he clutched his nose. The man spun around and kicked him in the chest. Scotty rolled a few feet past Tommy, Ace, and Morris, fending off the other stranger.

And just when Colton thought he and TJ would reach Beady-Eyes’ back, the man shot around with lightning speed—swinging the blade down on them. They both leaped and caught the rod in their hands, overpowering him. They were about to rip the weapon from his grasp when he sidestepped and dislodged their grip. He slammed the bottom end of the rod into Colton’s face, whose vision blurred as he fell to the ground.

Colton tried to shake it off, but his head throbbed. Though it was mere seconds, it seemed an eternity before he saw out of his eyes again. Once able, he flipped over from his stomach and looked up to see Beady-Eyes swinging the axe at TJ.

His friend backstepped and avoided two blows from the man’s long swing before he backed into the side of the burning house with nowhere to go. Colton watched in horror as the third swing took TJ in his ribs. He heard bones break, and when Beady-Eyes pulled the axe out, a deathly grunt left TJ’s mouth. He fell over limp.

Colton yelled as though it would change what had just occurred, but it only made Beady-Eyes turn and walk toward him. He tried to move as the man strode closer, but grief and anger swallowed him so much it held him in place.

Beady-Eyes approached and put one foot on his chest to hold him down.

The emotions built inside of Colton to where an overwhelming power surged within him, a fire billowing deep in his bones.

Beady-Eyes stared down and mumbled something he didn’t make out. When the man raised the weapon over his head for a final strike, Colton wasn’t scared at all. He was too full of rage and sadness for that. Is there anything but black in those eyes? he wondered.

But as the man brought the axe down, death sunk its roots into Colton’s mind. The power and emotions that were building seemed to burst forth from him. He threw his hands up in defense, and the blade stopped dead in the air, almost as if it hit an invisible wall. He blinked several times as an odd greenish haze hung over his vision.

Beady-Eyes stared in disbelief and mouthed what looked to be, “Impossible.”

Colton seized the opportunity and jumped up. As he did, the haze dispersed, and an internal pressure his body had been feeling disappeared with it. At the same time, Beady-Eyes soared through the air, smacking into a tree several feet away. He landed unconscious on the ground.

Colton couldn’t believe how far the man had flown. He didn’t even remember touching him, figuring the adrenaline clouded his mind.

Staring in horror, Beady-Eyes’ companion yelped and ran in the opposite direction.

A buzzing sound passed by Colton’s ear.

The fleeing man jolted to the side before falling into the brush.

For a moment, Colton questioned what had happened. But then he saw the sharp object sticking out of the man’s back, almost like a boomerang.

A rustling sound came from the woods. He turned to see more shadows emerge from them.

3

Shock clouded Colton’s mind until he saw the bloody axe lying on the ground. He grabbed the weapon and ran over to Beady-Eyes’ unmoving body. Raising the blade, he stared at the man in hate before tightening his grip.

An unfamiliar voice screamed, “Hold!”

Colton delayed only for a moment before slamming the weapon down.

The axe stopped short of its intended target for the second time that night. It smacked to a halt against the edge of a sword, one with what looked to be a brown bird engraved on the side.

Colton focused on the man holding the weapon. Sharp brown eyes stared him back. Behind the stranger, other broad forms approached, six in all. Like the attackers, they wore capes and sported weapons. He wanted to assume these people were the ones who had taken down Beady-Eyes’ companion, but he couldn’t be positive. He produced a dark glare up at the man.

“I am not your enemy,” the stranger assured. He was taller than Colton and stared intently down at him.

Colton looked again at the sword holding his axe at bay, specifically the bird engraved on it. The animal’s wings arched over its body, displaying it in flight. And gold talons extended underneath a golden beak, looking like an animal ready to strike its prey.

He glanced around and recognized how relaxed the other six newcomers seemed. Three of them squatted down and whispered amongst themselves. He thought one pointed at him, but it was tough to tell in the dark shadows. His gut told him this new group had no intention of attacking, which was comforting, considering his instinct said he and his friends wouldn’t stand a chance against them. But that didn’t change the fact that the one with the sword was still in his way.

“This man killed my parents,” Colton stated. “And possibly my friend. He will pay for that.”

The man’s eyes never strayed from Colton’s as he responded, “Yes, but what is more important? Vengeance or helping your wounded friend?”

Colton was about to reply, but the man’s words hit home. He didn’t know how bad TJ’s injury was. He turned to see.

His head was only halfway around when the man’s sword rose with a force that pulled the axe from his hands. Before he thought to react, the man snatched the weapon out of the air and threw it behind him.

Colton stared, dumbfounded and weary.

The man smiled apologetically before turning to his companions and issuing orders. “Tal, check on the injured. Roan, recover your weapon.”

Tal reminded Colton of a Viking with his muscular build and long blond hair. He walked over to TJ and bent to examine him. Another with short buzzed hair, Roan, strolled over to the body of Beady-Eyes’ companion and pulled the weapon out of the man’s back. By the lack of a reaction when the blade dislodged, Colton knew the downed man must be dead. He watched Roan wipe the blood off with a rag before throwing the red cloth onto the body.

Ace and Scotty hovered over the man named Tal as he inspected TJ. Blood ran from Scotty’s nose, and Colton remembered the elbow to the face.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Scotty stared at TJ when answering, “Hurts enough to be broken, but that’s all.”

Colton sighed in relief.

The man with the sword sheathed it and shifted back to Colton, extending a hand. “My name is Willick. I am sorry to prevent you from inflicting the much-deserved revenge on this foul man, but we need him alive.”

Colton didn’t shake it. He looked at the other dead man on the ground and asked, “What about him? You didn’t bother to take him alive.”

Willick dropped his hand and directed a frown at the one named Roan.

Roan shrugged and responded, “What? It is difficult to be accurate when I cannot wield.”

Willick shook his head. “I wanted him alive. My soldiers can be rash in their actions.”

Colton again scanned the group of men. Soldiers?

Willick bent down and rolled Beady-Eyes onto his stomach. He pulled a cord from his waist and restrained the man’s hands as he said, “By my laws, any Quinnero or Soldier of the Flame captured is to be taken back to Vintara and tried by the royal judges.”

Colton stared blankly. What the hell is this guy talking about? He responded, “Listen, I don’t know what—”

“I doubt you understand what any of it means,” Willick spoke over him. “But I promise you, once we extract all the information from him that we can, he will be tried, either by my people or yours. Either way, I will not let you kill him. So I ask again, is revenge more important than helping your friend?”

Like it had the first time, the mention of TJ forced Colton’s anger to abate. He looked down and noted how pale his friend was. “Did anyone call 9-1-1?” he asked.

Tommy showed his cell phone and answered, “No signal anywhere, not for any of us.”

Colton frowned and pulled his out. It was still the same.

To his relief, Tal seemed to know what he was doing. He wrapped a bandage around TJ’s wound, but blood still seeped out.

“How is it?” Willick asked.

Tal glanced toward Colton and the others before asking, “Sir?”

“They are friends who spilled blood beside him, Tal. They deserve the truth.”

Tal nodded and reported, “If I could wield the power, maybe I could do something. But without it, he will not hold on much longer.”

“No!” Morris yelled.

Colton wanted to scream himself. TJ was bleeding to death on the ground because he had fought for Colton and his family. The guilt of that fact weighed heavily.

He turned away in shame and focused on his other friends. Scotty was pale as a ghost, with blood from his nose looking like shadows on his face in the darkness. Ace sat with his head in his hands as if he couldn’t watch. Tommy seemed to be the only one maintaining his cool, but there was worry in his voice when he asked, “What do you mean wield power? If there is any way to save him, do it.”

Tal appeared sympathetic before answering, “I do not think there is anything I can do here. I am sorry.”

“Then what the hell are we waiting for?” Ace yelled. “Let’s get him to a hospital.”

Colton looked back at TJ’s face. His friend’s eyes were closed, and blood ran from his lips. His breaths were slow. He grabbed TJ’s arm and pleaded, “Come on, buddy. I know you can hear me. Just hang on.”

Morris and Scotty bent down and tried lifting TJ, but blood gurgled out of his mouth as they did. Afraid, they gently laid him back down.

Colton could do nothing but watch as, for a few more moments, TJ’s stomach slowly heaved up and down before the final air left his lungs, and the last sound he made was a long exhale; one which Colton hoped tore him away from the pain he must have been feeling.

There was a pause after. Colton fought to hold back the tears that wanted to spill. Memories of TJ and their childhood flashed in his head.

Willick took a deep breath before saying, “He is gone. I am sorry for your loss.”

Scotty dropped onto TJ’s body, sobbing over his chest. Ace again buried his face in his hands. Morris fell on his knees and punched the blackened ground around him. But the slow-falling tears and the horror on Tommy’s usually calm face forced Colton to lose his composure. Tears of his own spilled, and he walked away to catch his breath. With the crafts gone, he looked up into what was now a typical nighttime sky, only dulled by the flames dancing throughout the street.

A dog barked in the distance.

Colton glanced in that direction and heard rustling in the trees before three more figures emerged. Willick and his men all drew their weapons, causing two of the darkened silhouettes to stiffen. The third fought to release from their grip. Colton’s heart skipped a beat as he realized who they were.

“Mom! Dad!”

They turned, and it was his parents, with Kado as well.

“Colton!”

Colton ran over and hugged them with every ounce of love he had.

His mom squeezed him hard before saying, “Thank God you’re okay.”

He didn’t understand. “Where were you guys? I thought you were dead.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” his mother exclaimed.

“Kado saved our lives,” his dad explained. “We were watching TV when the service buzzed in and out. Then we heard him outside, barking like mad. When we checked on him, he snapped his line and dashed into the woods. We followed, and the ships were in the sky by the time we caught him. Moments later, we saw the explosions. We stayed hidden until the ships left.”

Colton’s mom was shaking, staring at her destroyed home. Dread filled him as he saw their questioning faces examining the rest of the scene.

He tried to explain, “These two men came down in a ship...” But he couldn’t finish the story. If he and his friends had known his parents were okay, they could have just run. TJ would still be alive.

His dad grabbed his face and asked, “What’s wrong, Colt? What happened?”

Willick appeared behind Colton and explained, “Your son has lost a friend tonight.”

His parents frowned at Willick, likely wondering who he was. But Colton directed their gaze back. He had to tell them.

“The people on one of those ships came down after attacking the street. They claimed to have killed you guys and then threatened us. We fought them.” He paused, a sickening feeling growing in his stomach as he forced his following words. “TJ’s dead.”

His dad took a step back and put a hand on his forehead.

His mom grabbed at her stomach before shaking her head and pulling Colton in for another hug. “I am so sorry, honey. TJ was a great young man.”

Colton suddenly felt like he couldn’t stand. “I need a moment,” he said before walking to the edge of the woods and sitting against a tree. A trembling overtook his body, and the sob he had been attempting to hold back let out. He sat there for a while, giving in to the emotions.

Eventually, a state of numbness settled over him. He barely realized when the police and first responders arrived. Nor when a paramedic came over to check for injuries, notifying him he had nothing worse than a black eye. Only when Tommy sat beside him did he snap out of the funk.

“The cops took the shithead into custody,” his friend said. “They also tried arresting Willick and his men. I let them know he wasn’t part of the attack. They let him go but are keeping a careful watch on his whole group.”

Colton nodded but said nothing.

He felt Tommy’s eyes on him as his friend asked, “Are you going to be okay, Colt.”

“I don’t know. You?”

“Same.”

They sat silently for a couple of minutes. Colton watched the firemen attempt to extinguish the flames of his neighbor’s houses. They had given up on his as it had mostly collapsed at that point.

Tommy eventually put a hand on his shoulder and stood. He relayed, “The cops are notifying TJ’s parents. They took my statement before I came over here and are probably wrapping up with the rest of the boys now. Ace is going to bring us home. Give me a call tomorrow.” He started walking away.

“Tom,” Colton called out. When his friend turned around, he said, “Thanks for having my back tonight. And please thank the other guys for me. I just need to gather myself right now.”

Tommy nodded. “Of course, brother. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

He felt like a coward watching his friend walk away. He owed the whole group so much more than words. But he could barely bring himself to stand, let alone think at the moment.

When he eventually returned to his parents, an officer took his statement before his brother and sister-in-law arrived. Joe got out of his car and rushed over to them. Slightly shorter than Colton but stockier, he pulled Colton in for a tight embrace. Mary’s small hand never left her mouth as she surveyed the scene. Colton couldn’t bear to explain all that had transpired again. He let them talk with his parents while walking back by the woods.

Mind blank and muscles weary, he wanted to lie down and never wake up. It lasted until a voice beside him said, “Took them long enough.”

He looked up to see lights again filling the sky as new crafts appeared.

Willick, who had crept up beside him, turned and said to everyone, “Do not worry. Those are ours.”

As the ships kept coming, a strong desire came over Colton to discover what was happening. He spun to face Willick.

“Colton, is it?” the man asked.

He nodded.

As if Willick had been reading his mind, he continued, “You must be confused by the events that occurred this evening. But trust me when I say you have been through enough for one night.”

Colton disagreed. “My friend just died. I deserve to understand why.”

Willick closed his eyes and inclined his head. “Yes, and you will. But not tonight. Give your mind time to adjust, grieve, and accept what has occurred. I am sure you need sleep.”

He did, feeling exhausted.

His mom, sneaking up and causing him to jump, must have noticed it too. “I think it’s best if we go to Joe’s house and deal with the problems tomorrow,” she said.

Colton looked at her before dropping his head in defeat. He didn’t have any fight left in him.

His family got ready and made sure the police needed nothing further. Before they departed, however, Willick pulled Colton to the side and asked, “I would like to meet you here at dusk tomorrow if you would? I hope to answer those questions you may have.”

Colton didn’t plan on missing it. He agreed.

Willick appeared relieved. “I will await it eagerly. And I ask that you come alone. I must tell you something that is for your ears only.”

That made Colton suspicious.

“Do not worry,” Willick assured. “You will understand when the time comes.” He put a hand on Colton’s shoulder before walking back over to the police officers.

Colton stood there a moment, his curiosity eating at him, before turning to his family. They walked away and left the smoldering remains of their destroyed home and ruined street.

4

Colton woke with a start, rolling off of the couch and landing on the floor. He had dreamed he was back in the fight, watching TJ die again.

Laying there for a couple of minutes, forehead resting on the oak flooring with his eyes closed, he wished he could go back in time and tell himself to run. If only he could tell all his friends to get out of there, everyone would be okay.

Kado came over from a bed of blankets in the corner to lick his head. Colton petted and buried his face in the dog’s neck.

He tried telling himself that nothing would change the past, but it didn’t do much to ease his mind. His friend was gone, and somehow he had to accept that. Worse yet, he had to live with his own guilt behind it.

He stood up and walked into his brother’s small kitchen. His mom’s curly hair looked like a knotted mess as she made coffee, and his dad’s eyes were bloodshot, sitting at the table with Joe and Mary. Everyone turned to him with worried stares. Feeling uncomfortable and not in any mood to discuss things, he ignored them.

He looked over at the TV broadcasting a news report. It displayed a scene of destruction. With the volume lowered, he grabbed a glass of water to avoid his family’s obvious looks. But he dropped his head and sighed when he sat down.

His mom waited a moment before asking, “Are you okay?”

He shrugged. “A little trouble sleeping. But considering I got any, I’d say I’m better than expected.”

Neither of the four looked as if they believed him.

“It wasn’t your fault,” his dad insisted. “You can’t let that eat at you, Colt. Anyone who cares about their family would have done what you did. And anyone who cares about their friends would have done what your friends had.”

His father’s statement was true but didn’t take away any guilt. “Please, I don’t want to talk about it now.” Before they could say more, he grabbed the remote and turned the volume up on the TV to complete the statement.

The newscaster sat in front of a world map, with red X’s marked on certain parts, pointing to each as he spoke. “The sightings were around the most heavily populated cities in the world. New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Mexico City, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires had the largest clusters of visible crafts. More were seen in the countries of Brazil, India, and Nigeria.

“Government officials do not believe the aircraft were meant to attack, as the majority did not. They believe it was devised as some display, a way for us to recognize their existence. The ones that came down and engaged in conflict, most incidents occurred when aircraft of our own approached the same airspace. Perhaps a tragic misinterpretation of intent.”

The screen changed to a scene of a blackened jet crashed into the side of a skyrise, a cloud of smoke billowing up from it.

The newscaster continued, “But be the attacks intentional or accidental, the outcome was the same. Losses have been met around the world. In Los Angeles, casualties are estimated to be six or seven thousand”—the screen transitioned from the crashed jet to that of crowded, narrow streets, hundreds of buildings on fire as people ran around frantic—“and in India, we sadly believe around twenty thousand people have died.”

The screen zoomed out and a giant crater sat in the middle of a crowded city. “The blast radius of the weapon used there was fifty yards in diameter, and the people of the area are struggling to suppress the fires that continue to spread—”

“Who are they?” Colton asked, anger building inside of him.

Joe shook his head. “No idea. All they’re talking about is where they showed up and places they attacked. I guess we’ll have to wait for the president to address the nation later today.”

Colton’s attention focused back on the TV when a breaking news story came in.

“We have received new footage of the attack in Tokyo,” the broadcaster announced. “The events that unfolded there differed from what happened across the rest of the world. I warn you that what you’re about to see may disturb you.”

He motioned off-camera, and the screen turned black. Colton imagined no less than a hundred ships attacking and destroying the city of Tokyo. So he was surprised when the feed came up and saw only one craft floating in the daytime sky, descending towards the surface.

The hand of the man filming pointed at the object, and he talked rapidly in what Colton figured was Japanese. He filmed from the roof of a tall building about a block away. The craft was blurry but had the same triangular shape as the ones the night before. The front looked like the nose of a fighter jet before the sides jutted out at a forty-five-degree angle, where they bulged and rounded again at the back. From above, its shape looked like an ice cream cone.

People stood in a circle on the street, leaving a wide opening where the craft came down and landed. Half a minute passed as nothing happened, and people inched closer, phones held up and filming. They froze when an opening appeared in the back and out walked three figures.

The first was a man with dark red hair, garbed in red, with a yellow and orange symbol on his chest. Behind him strolled two massive forms. They wore long black cloaks with hoods pulled up, obscuring their faces. Long scythes hung around their backs. To Colton, they both looked like the grim reaper, a thought that left him unsettled.

Most of the surrounding crowd backed away, and a few ran. Colton wanted to scream at those who remained. He could feel a deathly air surrounding the two hooded figures even through the TV. He didn’t understand how these people stayed anywhere near their presence.

The three walked out to the side of their craft, and the man in red spoke. Many in the crowd stopped backing away to listen. The cameraman zoomed in on the man, too far to decipher what was said. He talked for a minute before a disgusted look passed across his face. A mischievous smile took its place, and he raised his arm.

The cameraman zoomed out screaming in Japanese, and Colton’s eyebrows shot upwards. Floating in the air, ten feet in front of the man in red, was a car. It hovered five feet off the ground, the front end raised higher than the back. He saw nothing that could be holding it up.

“Something has been done to this footage,” his dad said.

The man in red laughed as people in the street inspected every aspect of the car. The vehicle started rocking forward and backward while the man moved his hand back and forth.

“How the hell is he doing that?” Joe asked.

The rocking stopped. The man in red said one more thing before lifting his left arm, the four car doors opening in response, and his right arm lowered, causing the car to drop to an equal level with the crowd. The man closed his fist, and the vehicle shot straight at the people as if being driven.

Colton watched in horror as the car became lost in a wave of the crowd, sending bodies into the air. The cameraman screamed in terror.

The man in red nodded and moved forward with an unconcerned swagger, the two with him following behind. As they walked, destruction walked with them. The man no longer moved his arms, but from all appearances, he still created chaos. To every side of him, chunks of metal and stone burst out of buildings, cars flew into the air, and poles and signs ripped out of the ground and surged toward people. Corpses lie in the street, and everywhere Colton looked, people ran wildly, trampling over those down or dead.

Four police officers emerged, fighting their way out of the crowd attempting to flee in the opposite direction. They pulled guns and walked towards the man, yelling at him with their weapons pointed.

The man kept walking along with a smile on his face, his two giants continuing to follow behind. He was maybe ten feet from the officers when they opened fire. He responded by lifting his right arm.

At first, Colton thought he had been shot and was about to fall, but then he noticed the little dots in front of the man.

When the officers let up on the triggers, they stared in wonder at their bullets floating in the air.

The man in red was still, his hand raised, palm facing out.

The officers looked at one another uneasily before backing up.

The man mouthed something and pushed his hand forward. All four officers’ bodies jerked a few times before falling motionless.

Colton didn’t realize what had happened until he noticed the bullets were no longer in front of the man in red.

“Jesus,” his dad exclaimed.

The man walked as if nothing had happened, chaos once more following him. He reached a point below the camera angle, and the screen shook. Chunks of debris blasted out of the building the cameraman stood on. His voice became lost when the view changed to his feet zigzagging back and forth. The footage ended with the phone falling to the ground.

The screen transitioned back to the newscaster, who looked terrified. He took a second to realize it was on him before recovering his typical features. “We aren’t sure who these men are. Nor what exactly happened there. But we’re being told that answers will be given when the president addresses the nation later today. Until then, we can—”

Colton’s mom stood and clicked the TV off. She turned to them and said, “I’ve had enough. I can’t take any more until someone tells us what’s happening.”

Colton was dumbfounded. In his mind, he pictured the corpses in the street and envisioned them all being TJ. They might as well have been. They were all family or friends to someone.

5

Colton spent most of the day in a dazed fog. One moment he’d get sick to his stomach thinking of TJ, the next, he’d worry if the entire planet would soon meet the same fate.

A couple of hours before the presidential speech, Tommy called and invited him over to watch with their other buddies. Feeling being around them might help, he decided to join. When the time came, he descended into his friend’s basement. Tommy, Scotty, Ace, and Morris sat silently on an L-shaped couch, grim faces cast downward. They all clearly weren’t doing any better than himself.

As Colton took a seat, he broke the silence. “Guys, before this starts, thank you for last night. That didn’t have to involve you. I can’t tell you what it means to me.”

They all stared at him briefly before Morris rolled his eyes and grumbled, “Shut up, Colton.”

Ace shook his head.

“They attacked our town,” Tommy responded. “Claimed to have murdered your parents. Threatened all of us. That wasn’t just your fight.”

Colton had to look away, feeling choked up. He took a moment to gather himself before clearing his throat. “Still, thank you. Whatever happens from here, I got all of you.”

They nodded.

Morris held up a fist and added, “None of us ever thought that in doubt.”

Colton smiled, bumping it.

Moments later, the president was announced on the TV.

Their heads turned to see America’s leader, dressed in suit and tie, his thin hair slicked to the side, sitting behind a plain brown desk with a blue wall behind him.

That’s not the White House, Colton noted.

The president rested his hands on the desk, clasping them together. He inhaled a long breath of air and exhaled before facing the camera. “My fellow citizens of the United States of America, my fellow people of this world, I come to you tonight not as the president of a country but as an equal inhabitant of this Earth.

“What you will learn tonight will terrify some, anger others, and shock all of you. Some may be excited about what they discover, while others refuse to accept it. I only ask that you think long and hard about what you hear. It is something that will change the course of history. Whatever that course may be is up to all of you, every person on this planet.”

He broke to sip water, seeming nervous. It left Colton more uneasy.

“What we’ve learned and decided for our people will not satisfy everyone. No single decision in this situation can do so. But through it all, remember that we are safe so long as we stick together and hold strong. This isn’t a time for division and conflict, for with it, we all may fall.”

Colton shifted in his seat, his nerves spiking.

The president leaned forward. “With that said, it is time you learn the truth that has long been kept from us. Throughout our history, we have thought ourselves alone in this universe, safe from what may lay deep in the darkness of space. Last night it was not only proved that we are not alone but that we aren’t as invincible to the dangers as we believed.

“The crafts we saw around the globe aren’t of this planet. Those within the attacking vessels are from a distant world, one we can only dream of reaching with our current technology. They came here to show us their power, to make us fear what they can do. And sadly, some of them turned to violence. They killed many of our own and injured even more others.”

He let out a slight cough. “However, we cannot let the fear they’ve spread leave us doomed and desperate. We can go down that road and get nowhere, or we can instead try to look at this moment as the start of a new age for this planet. Today marks our people finally taking part and affecting the worlds hidden around us since the beginning of our time.

“After they left, those in certain areas may have seen another group of crafts enter our atmosphere, and a few more arrive today. This group is a second alien force. Their capital is the planet Vintara, and they came here to help us.”

“Is that where Willick’s from?” Ace asked.

“Seems logical,” Tommy answered.

There was a hint of hope behind the president’s voice as he explained, “The hostiles left when the Vintarans arrived. The Vintarans came here to protect us and to propose a pact. For what I feel is best regarding the safety of this country, Congress and I have accepted the alliance. In a matter of years, we can learn the technology and knowledge of this advanced culture.”

He breathed a long sigh. “I’m sure you all want to learn what the proposal is. So here’s the person who can best explain all it entails, High-Seat of the Universal Throne and Minister of Vintara, Bayel Rizar.”

A man wearing a long white robe with a hood over his head appeared. The only marking on the robe was a black symbol on the right shoulder—a sword blade stabbing into a five-pointed star, with the top point of the star appearing as the tip of the sword. He shook the president’s hand before taking a seat at the desk.

Bayel Rizar stared straight at the camera and spoke in a low and raspy voice you would expect from a ninety-year-old man, though he looked only fifty. “Hello to you all. As your commander-in-chief stated, I am Bayel Rizar, one of the ten high-seats within the great kingdom of the Universal Throne.

“I wish to embark straight into this. Therefore, before anything else, it is important to understand that we are humans. We breathe the same air as you, we need to eat and drink just like you, we bleed the same red blood, we work together and love just as you, and as you see, we even speak the same languages as many of you. Do not be fooled; we have differences amongst us, but equally as many similarities.”

Colton found his mouth hanging open and snapped it shut.

Rizar explained, “In the known area of space we occupy, there are eleven different habitable planets on which humans live, one being Earth. These planets are distributed amongst four solar systems and are named after the eleven different prophets whom we outside of Earth worship. They date back to our earliest records, debated between eleven and thirteen millennia ago.”

Ace bent over, holding his head in his hands. “This dude’s going way too fast.”

It was as if Rizar planned just to get it all out. He continued, “We have our differences. Perhaps the greatest is that almost all humans within the other worlds can wield the power known as Solara. It is what we call the power of the stars. Though it is not quite the same, I am told it is most related to what you on Earth would call ‘magic.’ We can lift objects with a thought, cast fire from our hands, heal wounds in a matter of seconds, many of the things only found in stories on this planet.”

Solara? Magic? Colton’s brain told him it all seemed impossible. But is it? With all that has happened, is it that hard to believe?

“The power can be wielded anywhere in the universe except on Earth and a certain distance from it. No one knows why. All we know is that when the Prophet Earth ruled here, she and her followers wielded the power. But over time, something happened, and Solara became lost to this planet.

“Try to understand that to use this power is everything to us. Our worlds outside of Earth revolve around it. To lose it is to lose ourselves and who we are as people. Because of this, many fear your planet and view it as...forsaken. This is a reason our presence was never revealed.”

“Well, that’s one damn head trip,” Morris stated. He stood and walked from the room, only to come back and sit down a second later.

Colton related to his friend. His head was spinning. He remembered when the man he knocked out called him “Forsaken.” Not to mention Willick’s man, Tal, had talked about wielding power. Things were making sense.

Rizar continued, “Another reason Earth was left on its own was its inability to keep up with the other planets in the universe. By wielding the power, we can gain and build essential materials much easier. We have quicker methods for all aspects of study and labor. This is why, technology-wise, we are more advanced than your planet. That as it is, many felt if Earth remained apart, it would be spared from the conflicts it could do nothing about.”

He added a hint of sorrow to his voice. “This is the great mistake we have made. This is why now we can only hope to help protect your planet and try to repay the debt we owe you. We can also, for the first time in memory, ask for your help. But before I explain how, let me describe the situation we have been facing and the conflict that spread to your planet last night.

Rizar’s eyes seemed to penetrate the camera. “In the ancient past, there was what our culture calls, The Great War. A civil war where humanity was almost lost. The leaders who saved mankind, and ended that struggle, were the prophets. Men and women who re-founded the worlds we know today and united them all under the Universal Throne. A throne meant to provide leadership and peace throughout the kingdom of the universe.

“The Prophet Vintara was elected the first king. His council would become the ten high-seats, a representative from each of the other planets. They were at first the other prophets, with your planet’s namesake, Earth, being one of them. Over the years, they forged an almost perfect society. But not even the prophets lived forever, and when they died, the Throne broke apart. It started with your planet.”

Rizar seemed genuinely saddened by his words. That or he was putting on a great show of acting that way.

“After the Prophet Earth’s death, some scholars say centuries after, others say millennia, the people of the planet were given a choice: leave for good and never return, or stay forever and lose all connection to the rest of the universe. Even after thousands of years, it still shocks those on our worlds that many stayed. They were left to start lives with no influence of Solara or the Throne.”

“The intention of those in power at the time was to make our people forgotten on this planet. We took all forms of technology, all written accounts of our culture.” Rizar smiled. “But your ancestors pulled through. They accomplished more than anyone ever thought possible. For the result of their struggles is the world you now inhabit.

“And a couple of thousand years ago, we made the first steps to rectify our mistake. We could not show ourselves. We had been forgotten, and perhaps for the better. But we could still help by giving a little unknown influence. A push in technology, an opening of the mind in ideology, from the languages you speak to how you dress, different small notions instilled to help progress your planet. We hoped to transition you back into knowing your roots and again being a part of this universe.”

“Or they realized,” Morris piped up, “that they didn’t leave our ancestors to die but instead build a planet-worth of people that one day might become a threat.”

Colton found it to be a valid point.

Rizar continued, “But events in my world and the other worlds of the universe have directed us to speed up the process. Certain conflicts that have affected us for some years now have overnight become your burden as well. And it has forced me as a representative of the Throne to ask something of you I have no right to.”

His eyes grew hard. “Centuries before we began the policy of introducing our minor influences onto Earth, the planet Quinnero, the home of many who attacked last night, severed itself from the rule of the Throne. They did it for multiple reasons, but one stands clear. Since the Prophet Vintara, a Vintaran has been named king or queen. They resented this and the planet itself. When the hatred built to be significant enough, they disbanded. They have worked to bring the Throne down ever since.

“Over time, there were other falling outs, and more planets departed. Today only four remain faithful to the Throne. Five govern themselves, one being Earth. And two are under the control of the Quinneros. The Quinneros are led by a man called The Heart of the Flame. He is who attacked the city of Tokyo. He did it by wielding Solara.”

Colton frowned in confusion, leaning back into the couch.

Rizar shook his head. “We do not understand how he wielded the power here. For all that is known, he is the only one in thousands of years to have done it. But look at what he has committed. He used his power to cause violence and death, all as a show of strength to spread fear to the other planets. This is the man he is and the people his followers are.”

He paused to take a breath.

“So here is our proposition. The universe is on the verge of a full-scale war, one that has been long coming. It is between the Throne and those faithful to The Heart of the Flame. He and his people are thieves, slavers, murderers, and not all are human. There are other beings in this universe, some that would like nothing more than to harm us. You have seen what he can do, and you have also seen how he regards you. There is no room for weakness in his empire. And that is how he views Earth. He would either kill or enslave you, nothing else.”

“My god,” Tommy whispered.

“We’re screwed,” Morris muttered.

It was Colton’s turn to pace, too thoughtful and nervous to sit still.

Rizar continued, “I understand this is upsetting and terrifying for many of you, but try not to fear. The entire Throne would have to fall before Earth would, as we have agreed to help protect your planet.”

He leaned and pointed towards the camera. “But listen closely. You are just as human as I, and any human in the universe can wield Solara. It does not matter your age, your gender, or your strength; away from Earth, any of you can wield the power.”

That caused Colton to stop pacing, looking over to see Ace and Morris leaning on the edge of their seats. Tommy’s eyebrows rose almost to his hairline. And even Scotty seemed to react when he grunted.

Rizar gave them a minute to let what he said sink in before getting to the proposal. “Your leader has already agreed to pledge your country’s allegiance to the Throne. With the diversity of people across this planet, I cannot say the same for the entire world. But we now have yours. And with it, we can ask you to leave with us and come to Vintara.

“Come and learn how to wield the power and be trained to use it for the greater good. The king, the high-seats, all within the Throne, ask you now, help protect our kingdom, help protect your planet. Come be part of the universe you were born into and join the Royal Army. Come become a soldier of the Universal Throne.”

“Of course,” Tommy stated as if it all made sense. “They want us to fight.”

Rizar added, “Consider the acts the Quinneros have committed against you. This war will be for your cause just as it is for ours. If you choose, we leave in a week. You will spend about a year, Earth-time, in training, before joining our ranks. We take anyone eighteen or older who meets minor health and fitness requirements. You will learn to wield the power of the stars, and you will learn to defend yourself against the evils of the universe.

“But know this. It is the most dangerous it has ever been within our kingdom, and Earth may be the safest place for the rest of you. So, for now, we take only those who wish to become soldiers.”

Rizar again paused before explaining, “Recruitment locations will be posted around your areas. It is important to understand that there is no going back once enlisted. You will leave a week from today, and it is unknown when you will have the chance to return and see your families again.”

Unknown?

“It is now time I bid you farewell and good luck with whatever decision you make. Peace to the universe, and may the prophets themselves bless you.” He smiled before adding, “I have not heard it said in quite a while, but may Mother Earth watch over you all.”

When Bayel Rizar left the screen, Colton could barely gather his thoughts. His friends stared at one another with looks of disbelief.

Ace broke the silence by asking, “That all was some sort of joke, right?”

“I’m going,” Morris stated, jumping out of his seat.

Colton closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and tried to slow his racing mind. He wasn’t sure how to handle the idea of other planets filled with human wizards since the dawn of their time. And we have this power as well?

Morris didn’t seem to be thinking about any of that. “I’m doing this for TJ. This Heart of the Flame is responsible for all the deaths yesterday. He ordered his men here. I’m sure he’s driven his same mindset towards us into their heads.”

“Yeah, and we’ll be doing our part to save our planet,” Ace added. He clapped Morris on the shoulder and continued, “I’m not sure about you guys, but slavery doesn’t cut it for me. We better learn to defend ourselves if there’s a planet filled with scumbags who hate us.”

Colton had to agree there. But he couldn’t understand why, if a war was breaking out, how the so-called Heart of the Flame’s actions made any sense. All he did was give the people of Earth a reason to hate him and want to fight against him. Something wasn’t right.

Morris continued, “If this...whatever his stupid name is, if he wins this war, there won’t be a person around the world who doesn’t experience a loss as we did.”

The way Morris looked past everyone and not at them made Colton think he was almost trying to convince himself as much as them.

Or perhaps, Colton realized, maybe I’m trying to convince myself? Everything may not have made sense, but Rizar is right. The Heart of the Flame showed how he views this planet. Colton remembered the mocking smile the man held when the civilians were fascinated by the hovering car. It was one he made right before murdering them.

“But we don’t even know if we can trust these Vintarans,” Tommy countered, also standing up. “They may hate us just as much and will use us as pawns to win this war. How do we know they won’t treat us the same when everything’s said and done?”

It was a good point. But while Colton didn’t trust everything said, his gut told him whereas The Heart of the Flame was maliciously aggressive, the Vintarans didn’t mean direct harm to Earth and its people.

He responded, “If that’s the truth, we’re screwed either way. But we all saw what that Heart guy did, and it’s clear they weren’t lying about how he regards us.” He paused and thought about the possibility of doing things he’d only seen in movies or read in books. “Plus, at least with the Vintarans, we may learn to use a little magic and cast spells before they toss the chains on us.”

That made Scotty chuckle, only his second audible reaction of the day.

Tommy looked down and shook his head. “I don’t know, guys. Something is off here. We need to put some serious thought into this. We understand nothing about their Throne other than they have abandoned Earth once, only to return when they need our help.”

Morris grunted. “Screw their Throne. Who the hell are they to keep us in the dark? If I do this, it’s for my own reasons: for my family, my friends, the people of this planet, and TJ.”

Colton’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He stepped away from the others and answered, “Hey, mom.”

“You watched?” she asked.

“Of course. How are you guys holding up?”

There was a moment’s pause before she replied, “We’re fine. We have to talk about this as a family.”

Colton stood next to a clock on the wall and noticed the time. “We will. I’m going to meet that Willick guy soon. I’ll get as much information out of him as I can and then head straight to Joe’s.”

“Be careful.”

“It’ll be fine. He could have easily harmed us last night if he wanted to.”

Colton heard her take a deep breath before saying, “Okay, I love you.”

“Love you too.”

When he hung up, all four friends stared at him.

“You’re meeting Willick?” Ace asked.

Colton realized it had completely slipped his mind to tell them. “Yeah, I’m going to head there now.”

Morris’ eyes lit up. “Can we come?”

Colton shook his head. “He asked me to come alone. But listen, let me talk things through with my family tonight, and we’ll meet up again tomorrow. I’ll let you know everything he says. Sound good?”

They nodded.

“We can do my house,” Ace suggested.

Colton stood. “It’s a plan. Now let me go find out more about this craziness.”

6

While driving, Colton thought about what his family must think of everything. But as he approached, he put it to the side. He needed his head clear when talking to Willick, wanting the whole truth of what was being asked of their planet.

When he arrived, many people were walking around the site. The street had been blocked off with yellow caution tape, forcing him to park on an adjacent one. People stood behind the barrier, staring with shocked and horrified expressions. A few officers guarded the blockade. Those walking amongst the rubble were photographers and newscasters—some filming live. He tried to divert his eyes from the ruins of his house, but it wasn’t easy. The entire road was nothing but black rubble.

Colton walked over to the officers wondering if they would let him by. He waved to one and said, “Hey, one of these was my house. I’m supposed to meet a man named—”

“Your name Samson?” the officer asked, cutting him off.

He nodded, focusing his attention on the surrounding onlookers. Conscious of them all staring, he became uncomfortable with their sorrowful glances. Relief swept through him when the officer tapped his shoulder and told him to follow. They headed towards the impact crater in the middle of the street.

Once there, Colton jumped back in surprise when Willick’s head popped up from inside. The man spread his arms wide, informing, “Twenty-foot radius from the center.”

When Willick climbed from the crater, he stood out boldly from the others around him. He was tall and muscular, wearing a tight, white, long-sleeved, buttoned-down shirt tucked into plain gray pants made of a thicker, flexible-looking material. With the slight gray that streaked the man’s short brown hair and trimmed beard, Colton guessed he was in his early forties.

“Amazing what the hands of a single man can accomplish,” he added.

Colton frowned. “It’s disgusting what some men can do.”

“It certainly is,” Willick agreed. “But you cannot deny that the things one can accomplish through science and technology are extraordinary.”

Colton shook his head. “Perhaps too extraordinary.”

With a look of concern in his brown eyes, Willick said, “Indeed. I did not say those comments to remind you of your sorrow. I was hoping you could look at this and remember it in a way to benefit you. Remember what can happen when power is handed to the wrong person.”

Colton shrugged. “I understand. Earth’s history is filled with tragic events caused by powerful people.”

“As is the history of the universe,” Willick declared. “Few can be given great power and use it all for the common good. We humans are weak to the corruption it causes in us.”

When Colton didn’t respond, Willick clapped his hands and said, “I am sure there is much you must still want to know. Shall we be on our way?”

“On our way?” Colton asked, confused. “Where are we going?”

“To my ship. There we can be more comfortable”—Willick glanced around at the reporters—“and more private while we speak.”

The reporters didn’t seem to be allowed near the crater, but many focused their attention on it, probably wondering who the two of them were.

Willick led Colton towards the woods and waved his hand, gesturing to follow. “Do not worry. It is not far.”

Colton stood hesitantly for a moment but again decided that if the man wanted to do him harm, he could have done so the night before. As they reached the first tree, he asked what had been on his mind. “Willick, with all the people who have gotten hurt, why are you answering my questions?”

Willick smiled. “Because it is the will of the prophets. The fate they set for us has led me to you, so I believe I am meant to assist you.”

Is he a religious nut? Colton wondered, arching an eyebrow.

They moved through the woods on a trail he walked almost daily as a teenager before emerging into a field where he stopped and gaped. In the middle of the grassy stretch sat a craft much greater in size than the ones from the previous night.

The front three-quarters of the ship was a round tube shape. Four small fin-like wings protruded from the sides, two on each. And the rear quarter widened and split into two more prominent wing-shaped edges, angling outward from the base. A ramp descended from the craft's rear, and four clamps extended from the sides to hold it off the ground.

“Say hello to the Sinara,” Willick announced. “It is my pride and joy, and the eighth member of my team.”

Colton stared in bewilderment. The Sinara’s hull was gray, with the name running across one side in dark green letters. He walked up to the front end and noted it was like a normal plane, with the cockpit window stretched around the upper half while the bottom protruded outward. On the protrusion was a massive brown bird with wings spread wide. As had been on Willick’s sword, the talons were raised, giving the impression of the animal mid-attack.

“My full name is Willick Runebar. The eagle is the Runebar family crest.”

“Why an eagle?” Colton asked before something else came to mind. “And how do you have eagles?”

Willick smirked. “We are humans that live on different worlds, so why not animals? And honestly, I am not sure you will believe my answer regarding the crest.”

Colton opened his eyes wide. “After what I’ve seen in the last twenty-four hours? Try me.”

Willick inclined his head, conceding the point. “It is rare in today’s day and age. But certain wielders can communicate with animals.”

“Communicate...” Colton paused, “...with animals? As in speaking their language?”

Willick chuckled. “Believe what you want, but I, and anyone in my bloodline, can interact with the minds of birds. It has been so in my family for as long as can be remembered.”

Colton blinked in bafflement.

When he gave no verbal response, Willick shrugged and changed the topic. “Earth is a beautiful planet, and it is a delightful evening. I would like to talk out here if you do not mind?”

“Okay,” Colton agreed.

“Excellent. I am going inside the ship for a moment. I will have one of my men bring chairs out.”

Willick disappeared up the ramp and into the craft. A moment later, the soldier, Roan, walked out with two cushioned chairs. The man grinned as he placed them on the side of the Sinara. He had short, shaved brown hair with a patch of gray in the back. It took Colton a second to realize, but the patch was shaped like a bird. After placing the seats down, Roan sat in one and stared at him, saying nothing. It lasted long enough for Colton to start feeling uncomfortable.

Roan laughed and shook his head. “For your sake and mine, I hope Willick has not lost his mind. Perhaps too much powerful wielding can corrode a brain.” He gave a big smile showing all his bright white teeth and stood from the chair.

“What do you mean?” Colton asked.

Roan stepped forward and put an arm on his shoulder. He cocked his head and said, “That is not for me to tell you, my friend. But do not worry. You will understand soon enough.”

Like Willick, Roan’s accent was articulate, and his speech emphasized properness. Colton thought that was why he struggled to read through the man’s words. He was possibly excited, worried, or perhaps a mix of both.

Regardless, it became full excitement when he let go of Colton, clapped his hands together, and asked, “So are you enlisting?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Colton answered.

“You should.” Roan sounded enthusiastic. “There is no better rush than claiming justice over an evil loyalist of the Flame. There are many bastards in that army deserving the prophet’s wrath brought down upon them.”

The words hit home and reminded Colton of TJ. Anger and sorrow rushed up again.

“Oh, I hope you are not bothering the man, Roan.” They turned to see Tal, who had tended to TJ, walk out of the Sinara.

Roan waved him off. “Ah, rubbish, Tal. I am only explaining to him how great it is to extinguish the universe of the evil of the Flame.”

Tal squint his eyes in annoyance before shaking his head. “For once, do not let your rashness get yourself or others in trouble. He has not even had two hours to dwell on what he has learned today, and you already fill his mind with negative energy.” Walking up, he held a hand out to Colton and bowed his head. “A pleasure to formally meet you, my lord.”

Colton shook it, taken aback. Lord?

“You should not fight an enemy solely because you feel they deserve it,” Tal continued. “You should fight because it is the only option to protect those they would harm.”

Willick emerged from the craft. “That is well said, Tal, but sometimes it is tough to get over that first part.” He lifted a hand and pointed his index and middle finger, ordering in a raised voice, “You two get in the ship. Can you ever follow orders? If you each have not saved my life more times than I can count, I would have left you in a desert on Oldir by now.”

The two smirked at one another before heading back to the ramp. As they were about to pass by Willick, Roan lunged at him. Willick sidestepped with lightning speed and grabbed Roan’s arm, pulling him to the ground face-first.

Colton stared in astonishment as Roan laughed, coughing up dirt.

He rolled onto his back and said, “I will get you one of these times, sir. I promise you that.”

Tal again shook his head. He paid no heed in helping Roan up before the two walked back into the ship.

Willick closed his eyes, and a small laugh left his mouth. “He pushes the limits,” he said, sitting.

Colton paused before doing the same.

“But Roan and Tal are some of the best soldiers I have ever met,” Willick added. “They would be among the top ranks if they were in the army.”

Colton’s eyebrows rose. “You’re not in the Throne’s army?”

Willick leaned back in his chair. “I am indeed a soldier of the Throne, but to say my men and I are just another part of its army is a vague description to give us. The Runebars have long been one of the greatest Throne supporters, but we answer to no one short of the king, queen, or the high-seats themselves.”

The man stared into Colton’s eyes as he spoke. It was tough with his intense gaze, but Colton stared back. He didn’t want Willick to view him as weak.

“My family has always held great power and made clear where our loyalty lies. Because of this, many on our side praise my men and me, while our enemies are terrified of us. People know we will do whatever is asked by the leaders of the Throne, no matter the odds of success. But they also know unless ordered by the king or high-seats, any other missions we endeavor to take up will be what we decide is for the greater good of the universe.”

“Are your men from your family?” Colton asked.

“No, but my men are the best at what they do and are just as loyal to me as they are to the Throne.”

Colton opened his eyes wide and nodded blankly. He had trouble finding why this man was giving him the time of day.

Abruptly, Willick changed the topic. “Are you going to enlist?”

Colton snapped to himself. “I wanted to hear what you had to say before I made a final decision. I don’t feel we were told everything.”

Willick’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “And why is that?”

Colton shrugged. “Why would The Heart of the Flame attack our planet when all it accomplished was to put us against him and onto your side?”

Willick’s expression was serious. “Perhaps to send great fear throughout the rest of the universe. He is now the only one known to have wielded the power on Earth since the time of the prophets.”

Colton threw his hands in the air. “Well, then he’s a moron. He could have come here, lifted a few boulders, or performed miracle cures on people, and not only would he have put fear in the Throne, but he would also have made the people of Earth look at him as a god.” He calmed down before adding, “What he did wasn’t worth the billions he turned against himself. There is a key factor being left out.”

Willick nodded. “We will get to that. But for now, perhaps it may be best for you to ask the minor questions I am sure have consumed your mind.”

The curiosity of why Willick wanted to meet with him, the point of it all, was eating at Colton. But tons of other questions were picking at his brain almost as much. He asked, “How do you speak our language?”

Willick laughed. “It is not I who speaks your language or you who speaks mine. We all speak the languages of the prophets. Your planet’s dialect has evolved since that time, seemingly quicker and more casually pronounced than my planet’s form. But what we are speaking now was spoken when the prophets created the Throne. There are others, most also well-known on this planet.” He spoke in what sounded like something Asian.

Colton shrugged, not knowing what it was.

Willick continued in what Colton thought was Spanish.

“I only know this one,” he responded.

Willick tilted his head. “Fortunately, for enlistment purposes, it is the right one. This is of Corpean origins but is the common tongue on Vintara and the other Throne planets. However, those who enlist will have to learn a few of the others. Most of us out in the universe are multi-lingual.”

Colton pointed to himself and said, “This is English.”

Willick smiled. “I am sure it has a different name here, but I promise you, it originated as Corpean. The Prophet Earth’s natural language was the first dialect I spoke. The second was of Oldirian descent. Over time, as the planets became more independent, some took up their own languages. Your planet, in particular, took up a mass number of different speeches. But overall, the Throne did its part to instill that certain ones remained the major languages in your world today.”

“Of course it did,” Colton responded.

He sat for a minute, deciding more questions to ask. “So what are the people on the other planets like? Rizar said there are differences among us. What are they?”

Willick dwelled on that for a moment. “Almost all the differences have to do with Solara. From our technology to lifestyle, the power makes us different. We are more advanced because Solara allows us to delve deeper into mathematics and science more quickly. And for lifestyle, one main difference is that all wielders outside of Earth have a vegetarian diet.”

“No meat?” Colton asked, astounded.

Willick nodded. “If you enlist, that is one thing you will have to give up.”

Colton thought that was one thing he might not be able to.

“It should not be too difficult,” Willick added. “Once you start using the power, you will lose interest in it. It will become a food you no longer desire.”

“This happens to everyone?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“To kill another sentient being for personal nourishment is harmful to the soul. The power keeps you as healthy as possible by erasing this need. Solara does not come to you. You are born with it. Without it, your body and spirit are not whole, which is one reason you Earthlings do not live as long as us.”

Colton knew the raised eyebrows and scrunched-up nose must make his face look funny, but he didn’t care. “What do you mean? How long do you live for?”

Willick smiled again, looking amused. “The average wielder dies of old age at one hundred eighty Earth-years. However, some have lived to be two hundred thirty, while others have met natural death at only one hundred thirty. The oldest wielder lived to be two hundred forty-three on Vintara, which is about two hundred sixty here.”

“How old are you?” Colton asked.

“Ninety-two,” Willick answered.

Colton froze. “You’re ninety-two years old?”

“Yes.”

“Get the fu—” He put his hands to the sides of his head and stared at the ground in dismay. “Get out of here.”

Willick once again laughed at his surprise. “And that is based on Vintaran time. Our yearly time frames differ. If my math is correct, I would be coming up on my hundredth birthday on Earth.”

Colton gaped.

“But you too, Colton, if you enlist and wield the rest of your life—you will live at least well over a hundred.”

Now that is something.

“Our lifestyles are different in other ways. We can accomplish tasks much faster than you, so we have more time on our hands to do what we enjoy. There are sporting events like nothing you have seen. If you read, on our planets, you experience an actual story through simulation. Or one of my favorites, walking the woods and talking to the birds. With our powers, it is much easier to live the life one desires, which eases away poisonous stress. It is how humans are meant to live.”

Hearing those words brightened Colton’s mood. It seemed like a beautiful fantasy world.

“That is the life The Heart would destroy,” Willick continued. “He would end all happiness, have humanity bow to him, and answer his call. People would turn into slaves, working their lives away to please him and his ego, or he would kill them if they chose not to. He would build us into a giant empire of either servants or treacherous warriors. Murder, violence, terror, and death would spread across the universe. His main goal is for one thing—gain as much power as possible for himself and Quinnero.”

A chill swept through Colton. “If that’s true, how could anyone want to follow him?”

Willick shook his head. “The way any tyrant gains their followers; through lies and deception. He created his foothold where he was born, with Quinnero. They are proud people who live on a dark and hateful planet. Since birth, they have all been taught to loathe the Throne, to be jealous of everything it encompasses. It is the Quinnero way and has been for centuries. But they were always a single planet, looking to start a battle they could not support. That all changed when The Heart came to power.

“From the moment he appeared, he took every last person with the smallest hostilities and promised them greatness, equality, safety, whatever they felt the Throne had taken from them. He took anyone with the smallest of troubles and convinced them that destroying the Throne was the only way to extinguish those problems.”

Willick directed his gaze to the ground and stretched his arms before saying, “It is time we get to the main reason I asked to meet. You were right. You Earthlings were not told everything.”

Colton’s nerves spiked.

Willick looked back up, and his eyes never wavered as he explained, “Long ago, on Quinnero itself, a prophecy was revealed. Many still disagree and question the true meaning of the words. Nonetheless, I will tell you what they are, what those faithful to the Throne view them to mean, what The Heart and his people believe, and then you can decide for yourself.”

A sense of foreboding came over Colton. He leaned in as Willick spoke.

“When one color dwindles, and another begins to shine, the universe will again head into its own destruction. Divided in two, the wielders will fight until all are lost. Fear will spread like an illness; death will consume all planets, there will be nowhere safe, nowhere left to run and hide.

Only one can save the universe from this doom. He is The Son of the Prophets, the one who must rise above all others and unite the universe as one.

Envisioned by the will of the prophets, it can only be achieved through the help of the prophecies.

But only when he is known can the fulfillment begin. Only where the power has been long forgotten, this is where The Son shall mark himself.”

Colton replayed the words in his head a few times over, dread filling him as he did so.

Willick didn’t give him a chance to respond. “Let me explain a few things. First, most people fear that the colors represent the Throne and the Army of Flame. Everyone has always believed once The Son was recognized, the fulfillment of the prophecies would begin. The problem is both sides feel this way. We believe The Son will help the Throne unite the universe. While The Heart of the Flame, as we now understand, considers himself to be The Son, and his people believe he will lead them to harmony.”

Colton shook his head. It seemed to him the people of Earth were being dragged into a lost cause. But before completely losing it, he wanted to be sure he had it right. “What did the part mean, ‘Only where the power has been long forgotten, this is where The Son shall mark himself’?”

Willick held up a finger, and Colton took it as asking for patience. “It is also important to understand that this is why Earth was left blind. Only here could The Son show himself. The prophecy says nothing about where the power can’t be wielded, only where it has been forgotten. Many feared if the power was revealed to the people of Earth, when the time came, we would have no way to decipher who our savior may be.”

Fear spread through Colton’s every muscle. “Savior? Only one man has wielded the power on Earth, and he’s far from anyone’s savior.”

Willick smiled again.

The reaction made Colton throw his head back in disbelief. “You better hope this prophecy is bull—”

Willick raised his hand and cut him off. “I never once believed The Heart to be The Son of the Prophets, and I never will. But do not be fooled; this is why he came. Even if it gets you Earthlings to commit to the Throne, his actions will still spread fear and doubt throughout the rest of the universe. He does not view your planetmen as a threat. He despises those he considers weak. To him, it is more worth the mass number of people who will now regard him as The Son of the Prophets and join his side in this war. Remember, there are planets on neither of our sides.”

Colton stood up and paced, trying to make sense of it. “But he must be The Son of the Prophets. He wielded here.”

Willick stood as well. “Yes, and if I had known that two days ago, I would have been as terrified as you. But fate and the prophets have led me to another who wielded the power last night.”

Colton frowned before comprehension of why he was there dawned on him. His whole body tensed up, and he asked, “Who?”

Willick didn’t hesitate. “You.”

Colton stared wide-eyed at the ground for a moment before saying, “You’re mistaken. You can’t honestly think I’m The Son of the Prophets? When did I even use this Solara?”

Willick walked to the back of the ship while Colton shook his head.

This can’t be happening.

Willick reappeared with an axe in his hands. He threw it at Colton’s feet.

Colton noticed dried blood on the weapon, TJ’s dried blood, and his heart dropped.

Willick pointed at him and said in a raised voice, “Your blood should be on there as well. Why is it not?”

Colton froze. The memory of green sparks dancing across his vision and sending Beady-Eyes flying played in his head.

“I am no fool, Colton. I have been around the power enough to know when an energy shield is created. I saw the look in your attacker’s eyes; he meant to kill you. No one swings with force like that and stops. I may not have seen it directly, but he hit a barrier of energy, of Solara. You must have noticed the shock on his face?”

Colton had.

“You did not even touch the man, did you? He flew towards that tree before your hands even reached him.”

He slowly nodded. It was the truth. At the time, he shrugged it off as his imagination.

“It was your energy shield. You pushed it against him as you stood, and the power within you threw him through the air.” Willick gave Colton a sideways look. “It is remarkable for someone who has never even heard of Solara.”

Colton was speechless, his mind racing. He reflected back to the energy that surged through him right before the axe came down. Was that Solara?

Willick grabbed both of Colton’s shoulders and leveled their faces to meet. “Unless someone else wields the power before my people depart, it is you or him. I understand you are still young, just beginning your adult life. But if the Throne and the universe are to have any hope of a peaceful existence, it is only through you.”

Well, this guy doesn’t know how to relieve the pressure, Colton thought, gazing back at Willick’s concerned face. He also saw sorrow there and realized it wasn’t his own hope Willick feared for. It was the hope and lives of all throughout the universe, Earth included.

Colton thought about everyone he cared for. If he’s telling the truth, I may be the last chance for those I love. He wasn’t sure about the whole savior thing, but he couldn’t sit back and do nothing. His voice shook as he said, “Who can turn down becoming a hero?”

“So you will enlist?” Willick asked.

“I will.”

Willick closed his eyes and let out a small sigh of relief. Seeing it, Colton realized the man truly believed he could be this great savior of the universe. He also understood that Willick’s men did as well. Tal’s comment, “My lord,” suddenly made too much sense.

He lost his train of thought when Willick said, “This knowledge can be dangerous to you and anyone close to you. If The Heart of the Flame finds out you wielded the power on Earth, he will come after you.”

Shivers ran up Colton’s spine as he recalled The Heart of the Flame’s sheer display of power. And remembering the two that accompanied him, the twins resembling the grim reaper, the idea of standing face to face with them terrified him even more.

“For your safety and all you care about,” Willick continued, “I would say tell only those of your friends who may join you on Vintara. You will need others to confide in while out there. Are they reliable? Can they keep a secret?”

Colton wasn’t sure he even wanted to share the information. Anyone he told would probably think he had lost his mind. But he still thought hard about the question. His friends could be idiots sometimes, but they were loyal idiots. “An important one like this they can,” he answered.

Willick nodded. “Good. Understand that your friends are in no more danger by knowing the secret so long as they can keep it. Some, even on Vintara, would despise you for claiming such a feat. I do not care how close you become with people. No one can know but those I have said. I need your word?”

The only others Colton would consider telling were his parents and brother. But they would worry enough about him. He didn’t want to put more on their minds. “I’ll only tell my friends that were there last night,” he answered. “You have my word.”

“But only if they accompany you,” Willick pressed.

“No,” he replied in a rougher tone than intended. “It is their friend that died as well. Perhaps if they hear this, it will help them believe he died for something.”

Willick stared for a moment before seeming to accept the notion. “That is fair enough. It is late. We should get you back.”

Colton held his hand out. “I have to thank you, Willick. I assume your people aren’t telling us the prophecy to prevent fear from spreading like wildfire, but I can’t entirely agree. We all deserve to understand what we’re getting into, and I’m glad you’re giving me that chance.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” Willick replied with a smile, staring at the hand for the briefest moment before shaking it. The grin slipped as he added, “By our honor as Vintarans, we should tell your people about the prophecy. But doing so would create more harm than good at this moment. I agree with the Throne’s decision and ask you to trust my judgment. We will make it right in time.”

He pulled an object out of his pocket and handed it to Colton. It was a solid silver disk the size of a hockey puck, only much thinner. Like Willick’s sword, both sides were engraved with the brown eagle.

“When you go to enlist, the recruiter will want to assign you a designated place to be the day we launch off. Show him this and explain that you are already designated transport. He will know what it is, and you should have no problem.”

“Okay,” Colton replied. “Then where will we go?”

“You will come with my men and me on the Sinara. I will see you safely to your destination. Meet me at nine in the morning this day next week, in the same place we met today.”

Colton looked at the Sinara and realized it would be the ship on which he entered space. He became excited and nervous all at once.

“Until next time and the biggest day of your life,” Willick said. He again held his hand out.

Colton shook it. “Until then. Tell Roan he’s not the only one who thinks you might be crazy.”

Willick smiled before assuring him he would relay the message.

7

Colton paused outside of his brother’s faded wooden front door. He braced for the conversation he was about to have. He’d given his word to Willick, having yet to talk to his family. It was a fact that weighed heavy on him.

He took a deep breath and stepped into the house. They were all there waiting in the living room. His parents sat on the couch, Mary on the recliner, and Joe stood in the doorway to the kitchen. They silently stared as the door closed behind him. The only one to greet him was Kado, who walked up and rubbed against his leg.

“Are you guys okay?” he asked.

“We’re fine,” his dad responded. “What about you?”

His mom stared at him, her eyes locked on Colton’s face, searching for the answer to an unasked question.

“I’m going,” he said.

His father held what Colton hoped was a proud expression, though his forehead had wrinkles of concern. He stood up and put his arm around Colton’s shoulder. “You’ve always been the first to offer your hand to someone in need. I figured the fate of the planet might draw your attention.”

His mom squeezed between them, tears flowing from her eyes. She locked them onto Colton’s and declared, “No. You. Are. Not.”

His dad held a pleading hand up, but she smacked it away. “These people are not taking him. Who the hell are they to ask this? The first will attack us themselves. The second will use us to attack the first. What’s the damn difference?”

Colton could tell his father wanted to support him but struggled. “You lost your friend to these people,” he added. “And I understand you might want to go for revenge, Colt. But don’t make an irrational decision because of what happened to TJ. Avenging a friend is fine and good, but this is so big. Be sure it’s what you really want.”

Colton nodded. What he was putting them through was awful, but he desperately wanted them to understand. “It isn’t just revenge,” he explained. “If I go, I’m doing my part to protect you and everyone I love. I couldn’t live with myself if others fought and died for me, and I sat back and did nothing.”

His mom unsuccessfully tried to hold back a sob. “You don’t need to go there to help us. You’ll help by protecting us here.”

Those words hit Colton like a punch to the gut. He looked up and saw Joe staring at the ground with a deep frown molded onto his face. He wasn’t sure how to make them understand. “Listen, let me tell you what just happened...”

And he did. From meeting Willick to discussing The Heart, he emphasized the danger they faced. But he mentioned nothing of the prophecy. He felt like a bastard, but telling them wouldn’t achieve anything positive. He’d only drive a larger spike of fear into their minds, one that would blind them from understanding his point of view. He ended with, “I told Willick I’d enlist.”

His mom stared him in the eye but said nothing.

Colton pleaded a response to her unspoken words. “I’m not sure if everything they’re saying is true. But what if it is? The African Holocaust, the Jewish Holocaust, imagine those involving the whole planet. I won’t sit by and watch that piece of garbage destroy and terrorize all I love.

“And it’s not just the threat. It’s the whole universe that’s out there. We need people to go not only to defend us but to pioneer, to learn these new lifestyles and technologies. It’s our planet’s time to take that next step.” When he finished, he stared at her with a pleading look. He needed her to understand.

“Oh, Colton...” she cried, closing her eyes as more tears spilled. “You better come home.”

With those words, the hand squeezing his heart let loose. “So you’re okay with this?” he asked.

“Of course not,” she spat. “If I could tie you up and hold you here, I’d have done it already. But you’re a grown man. You’ve made your decision, and there’s nothing I can do to stop you. I don’t like it, but I understand it.” She shook her head. “I love you, and I am proud of—” her words cut off as sobs overcame her.

Colton leaned over to hug her tight. He grabbed her hand and said, “Mom, I love you. I’m sorry I’m putting you through this. I wouldn’t if I didn’t feel I had to. Trust me on that.”

“We do,” his dad replied before laying a hand on his shoulder. “I will worry about you every day, Colt. I’m damn honored to have you as my son.”

Colton closed his eyes, tears of his own slowly forming. He needed to hear those words. “Thank you, Dad, that means a lot.”

“Can I talk to Colt in private?” Joe asked.

Without a word, their parents and Mary walked from the room, dabbing at their faces as they did.

Colton wasn’t sure what his brother wanted to discuss, but he had a feeling he would have to defend himself. “Listen, Joe—”

“I get why you’re doing what you are,” Joe cut him off. “I respect why you’re doing it and am proud to call you my brother for making this decision.”

He paused momentarily, staring long and hard, concern still written on his face. “But I don’t trust these bastards. I don’t trust this deal or the scumbag politicians who made it. In my opinion, these aliens know we’re scared. And they know we have leaders who are used to being in power and crave it. They have a populace looking for protection and a government looking to be important again. They understand many people on this planet now feel they have no choice but to accept their offer.”

Colton shook his head. “I hear you, I do. But none of that changes the fact that this other force endangers our family. I don’t have a career. I’m not married with kids. If I’m not going to go and learn to help protect us, who is?”

Joe nodded. “I get that you’ve thoroughly thought this through. I’m not trying to stop or make you understand something you’re not seeing. But I would never let you leave without expressing my worries to you.

“This is a bad situation. They’re going to take a lot of people away into a mysterious shitstorm. You won’t have much time to learn this power of theirs, and they’ve used it their entire lives. They grew up learning how wars are fought with it. You still have no idea what it even is.”

It was true, and Colton couldn’t deny the worry that left in the back of his mind. But it didn’t matter after discovering the prophecy.

Joe changed the tone in his voice, trying to come off as comforting. “Watch yourself out there. You stay on your toes and stay smart.” He paused and stared deep into Colton’s eyes before asking, “You can honestly kill someone?”

The question threw Colton off. He gazed back at Joe before realizing it had been answered the previous night. “If given enough reason, if they are evil and will harm anyone I care about—then yes, I could.”

Joe seemed to stare deep into Colton for several moments before pulling him in for a hug. “I love you, Colt. Don’t die out in the middle of that darkness, okay?”

Colton breathed a long sigh. “I’ll certainly do my best.”

8

The following morning, Colton decided to cook breakfast for his family, hoping it would ease the tension from his decision to enlist. But when he began, his thoughts drifted back to everything Willick said, especially the prophecy.

After some time, he sat frozen and wide-eyed at the kitchen table, idly petting Kado behind the ears while empty pans sat on the counter. He figured he should be worrying about where his parents would live and when he would go back to school and work. But instead, he was dwelling on leaving his planet and family light years behind to become a hero in a war someone told him was important.

He sighed and looked down at Kado, who seemed to sense his anxious mood. He asked, “Am I crazy?”

A nudge of Kado’s paw into his leg was the dog’s only response before whimpering and lying down with his head flat on the floor, between his paws. Colton leaned over to rub the dog’s chest. Kado rolled onto his side and smiled, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

Around noon he headed to Ace’s. During the drive there, he debated long and hard on how to explain it all to his friends. When he arrived, he parked along the concrete curb, and the others stood to greet him on the snow shelf in front of Ace’s blue house.

Morris patted him on the back and asked, “So, what sort of news will change my life today?”

Colton had never been as awkward around his friends as at that moment. When all four gazes settled on him, he puffed his cheeks and let out a long breath. He looked down and found a place to sit on the curb before saying, “Where to begin?”

He took a deep breath. “I met Willick on my street, and he took me to his ship. It’s sitting in the field the town owns, the one branching off the path in the woods between mine and Tommy’s house. The thing was massive, larger than a commercial plane. Some of his team came out at one point, and I spoke with them a bit. Seemed like cool enough guys. Then Willick and I get right into it. He starts throwing more craziness out there.”

“Like what?” Scotty asked, seeming more himself than he had the day before.

Colton laughed. “Like these people live to be almost two hundred.”

“What?” Tommy asked, looking disbelieving.

“Oh,” Colton continued. “And Willick can communicate with birds.”

Their heads shot back.

“Like he chirps to them?” Ace asked.

Colton shrugged, and Scotty added, “Is it actual talking, or does he control them?”

Colton shrugged again. “I don’t know. We didn’t get that into detail.”

“What else did he have to say?” Tommy asked.

Colton thought for a moment. “Well, his team is like the spec-op, badasses of the universes. They run all sorts of special missions.”

All eyes again opened wide.

“So, the type everyone knows not to mess with?” Morris asked.

Colton nodded.

“If he’s that important, what did he want with you?” Tommy wondered.

Colton took another long breath. Moment of truth.

“Rizar didn’t tell us everything. Apparently, there is this prophecy that the good and bad alike all follow. I can’t remember word for word, but from what Willick explained, it says once this war starts, the entire universe will be destroyed unless one man comes and saves it. The man is known as The Son of the Prophets. Everyone who backs the Throne thinks he will come for them and vice versa for The Heart of the Flame and his people. The thing about it is the prophecy says how the savior will show himself.”

He paused, dreading the hopelessness that might run through them once he said it. It helped him better understand part of why the Throne wasn’t telling the whole planet.

“And?” Ace urged.

Colton grimaced. “The person will show himself by using his powers on Earth.”

“Oh shit,” Ace whispered. His naturally tanned skin seemed suddenly paler than usual.

Morris looked like he was going to punch something when he asked, “So it’s about this Heart guy?”

“He won’t be doing much saving when it comes to us,” Scotty noted.

Tommy silently stared at the ground, an unreadable expression on his face.

Colton felt horrible. They all had spent the last two days mourning a lost friend, and now he had told them the worst possible news. All it did was leave them angrier and more terrified. He couldn’t let them lose hope. Even if it is the most absurd thing I can tell them.

He tried to sound enthusiastic and hopeful. “The Throne is still reluctant to name The Heart this Son of the Prophets.”

There was a rage in Morris’ stark blue eyes. “Of course they don’t want to admit it because they would be admitting their Throne is about to fall.”

Colton had to calm his friends and make them look at it in a new light. “Well, no, they’re reluctant because, according to them, someone else used the power on Earth that night. Someone who I guess you could say is on the good side.”

All four faces perked up, anger and fear quickly replaced with a hint of the hope he was looking for.

He paused, fearing their reactions.

“Who?” Ace yelled.

“Me.”

They all stared blankly at him.

There was a long silence before Morris shook his head and growled, “That’s not funny.”

They looked away, angry.

That made his own temper rise. They wanted to know what Willick had told him; he was telling them, no matter how ridiculous it sounded. “Believe what you want, but I’m not screwing with you. Willick said when that guy was about to kill me, I produced some shield to stop him. He said he’s been around this power of theirs long enough to sense when it’s used. According to him, I used it.”

“You’re a real dick,” Ace declared back.

Morris looked away, shaking his head.

But Colton was surprised to see Tommy and Scotty staring at him with wide eyes. Tommy was his best friend, and Scotty was about as intellectual as they come. They both knew when he was lying, and he could tell they understood he wasn’t.

“It makes sense,” Scotty said. “I saw what happened. After the axe stopped short of your face, there was a shimmer around you, as if my vision was blurry. And then you jumped up and the guy went flying.”

Both Ace and Morris turned to Scotty with incredulous looks on their faces.

Ace looked back to Colton. “So we’re supposed to believe you’re this savior? You will save us all from our doom. Come on.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Tommy asserted in Colton’s defense. “He’s not saying he’s this savior. He’s only telling us what Willick told him.”

Ace threw his hands up. “Then Willick and his people are all whack jobs. And that’s not making me want to go and fight on their side.”

“But what if it’s all true?” Tommy asked. “What if Colt really used the power the other night, and this whole prophecy is true? If both are, who’s to say he’s not our only hope?”

Colton had expected Morris and Ace’s reactions, but he was shocked by Scotty and Tommy sticking up for him so adamantly.

“I thought about it a lot last night,” Colton responded. “Willick said that if he left without me, he was leaving with no hope. Well, I feel if I let him leave without me, he’s leaving a planet just as hopeless as the rest. I can’t live with that on my back.” He paused and looked them all in the eye. “That is why I agreed to enlist.”

His friends were silent, staring at him for a long moment. When he could no longer handle the judging looks, he turned his gaze to the ground.

Tommy broke the silence. “I’m going with you.”

Colton looked up.

“I’m not leaving my best friend to experience this alone. It will be hard enough. But it will be even more difficult if this is all true, which doesn’t seem as farfetched to me as it does to you. You’re going to need a friend there with you.”

Colton wasn’t sure if he had ever felt closer to his best friend than at that moment.

Morris and Ace had listened closely to what Tommy said. They looked at one another and seemed to read the other’s thoughts before nodding.

“I don’t like what you told me today,” Morris remarked. “But none of it changes the fact that our only options are to stand and fight the bastards or sit by and hope they don’t return.” He paused, and a sneer took over his face. “I don’t plan on quaking in my boots and looking fearfully to the sky every night. So if my friends are going and need my help, it’s settled for me.”

Ace blew out a long breath. “I’m sorry, Colt, but I can’t put all my hope in you. And it’s not even that I don’t think you’re up to it. The idea that anyone from our planet will go out there and save the day is hard for me to accept. We know almost nothing about any of this.”

Colton inclined his head, understanding.

“With that said,” Ace added, “I can’t let my friends have all the fun without me. I’m going too.”

Morris clapped him on the back and smiled.

They all turned to Scotty.

He held his thumb and middle finger to his temples as he stared straight at the ground. “I’m sorry, guys. The only desire I have to go is to seek revenge for TJ. But the man who killed him is already in custody. I can’t go out there and kill someone else on these aliens’ words claiming that person is evil. I’m sure some people we’d fight would feel they are only doing what they must. That’s war in a nutshell.”

Scotty’s words hit home for a moment. The point he made was perfectly reasonable. But Colton envisioned his loved ones enslaved, terrorized, and treated like animals. He wasn’t the one bringing that threat to these people’s families.

“I get it,” he responded. “I just hope you don’t look at us in a different light for doing what we feel we must.”

“Of course not,” Scotty assured. “You have no idea how much I respect you guys.”

After a few pats on the back from the other guys, Scotty seemed to relax.

Colton turned back to everyone. “All right, listen guys, there’s one more thing. I’m going to trust you all not to tell anyone about the prophecy. It’s both mine and Willick’s wish. Whether you trust it or not, just please, it’s important no one except us hears about it.”

“Why?” Ace asked. “If Willick believes this, wouldn’t he want his people to know?”

“I’m not worried about his people,” Colton explained. “I’m worried about ours. The Heart doesn’t seem like one to let possible rivals coexist. I don’t want to put my family, and in the process, your families, in danger. Willick hinted that could be a possibility if we didn’t keep this secret.”

“All right,” Ace waved him off. “If someone said I was a hero, I’d go babbling about it to the whole world. Do you know how many chicks you’d get? But I guess that’s why it’s not me. My lips are sealed.”

“Secret’s safe with me, brother,” Morris stated.

He didn’t even need to ask Tommy.

He looked to Scotty, who said, “You’re asking me not to tell anyone about something they would only laugh in my face over. It’s not a problem.”

Colton took a deep breath and relaxed. With everything settled, a huge weight felt lifted.

“So, when do you want to enlist?” Ace asked the group.

Colton shrugged. “Why not now?”

9

The night of TJ’s wake, Colton arrived a nervous mess, struggling to control his emotions. He wasn’t sure how he would handle seeing TJ’s body lying in a coffin, nor how he would face his friend’s parents. TJ’s father had reached out to Colton’s dad to seek the whole story, and Colton hid like a coward when he did.

The line to pay condolences stretched outside the funeral home doors. Colton stepped into it with his brother and parents at his side, waiting in the parking lot as he stared at the old white building before him. Looking around, besides a few people he had gone to high school with, he didn’t recognize most in the line.

As minutes passed and they inched closer to the doors, Colton couldn’t keep the prophecy out of his mind. He still had no idea what to think about it. Two weeks ago, he would have laughed at believing in foretellings, but Willick didn’t strike him as someone whose thoughts and opinions should be cast aside lightly.

He became distracted when eavesdropping on two men in front of him, both in button-down shirts with ties and khakis.

“Almost 100,000 dead across the globe,” the guy on Colton’s left said. “Why isn’t every country lining up to join this fight?”

The one to the right shrugged. “Scared, maybe. I don’t know. It seems like many of these riots worldwide are over religious beliefs. And you can’t blame anyone for not trusting the Vintarans. It took all those people getting killed for them to come here.”

“True,” the lefthand guy responded. “At least there’s still been tens of millions of enlisters since The Night of Enlightenment. That’s no small number.”

Colton focused back in on himself. As it was being called, the Night of Enlightenment was the night TJ died. Two of his neighbors, the Fretz’s, were also killed in the attack. Anger bubbled up in him.

He shook it away, clearing his head as they reached the doors.

The inside of the funeral home appeared like most, old-looking and dimly lit, leaving one with an eerie vibe. He could see the entrance to the main room ahead, his body tensing as he thought about what he would see there.

“Are you alright?” Joe asked.

Colton looked up at his brother’s calm face, took a breath, and nodded.

Joe put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “You got this. And we’re right here.”

As the minutes passed and they came upon the main room, Colton felt he did about as good a job as possible of readying himself. His hand only slightly shook when he signed the book of condolence. But that all went out the window when he turned the corner into the room.

His eyes were attracted immediately to TJ. Even in death, his friend looked handsome, dressed in a suit and tie. But seeing him lying in a large black casket, surrounded by pictures of his smiling face and colorful, lively flower arrangements, Colton’s emotions let loose. Tears spilled from his eyes, and he had to glance away.

His stomach muscles tightened when he spotted TJ’s parents lined up and greeting everyone a few feet from the casket. Colton’s mom held his hand as he fought to keep his trembling down and the sobs at bay. That was how he spent the final minutes before he found himself staring down at TJ’s body.

For whatever reason, a calm finally came over him. Colton made a point to imprint the image in his memory, knowing it would be the last time he saw TJ’s face in person. It was a vision he wanted to use if the time came, and he found himself fighting those responsible.

He knelt before the coffin and closed his eyes.

TJ, you were always one of the most incredible friends someone could have. We all could count on you for anything, and you proved that in full the night you died. I have been blaming myself for this, but I realize that doesn’t pay you the respect you deserve.

I am so sorry this happened. Know that I will do my best to make up for your death and protect your family. If I somehow am the only one who can save us from any horrors to come, I hope you can take comfort in the fact that you helped me that night and made the chance of me doing so even possible.

I love you, man. I will miss you for the rest of my life. But I’ll take relief and pride in hoping you’re out there watching my back. Goodbye, my friend. Rest in peace.

He stood and took a long look at TJ before moving to consult Mr. and Mrs. McPhee. With his composure suddenly gone again, he barely felt the newly formed tear rolling down his right cheek, nor the one about to fall from his left eye. His vision blurred as he walked over, unable to read the expression on either of their faces. He stopped before them and looked down, incapable of meeting their eyes.

It was a shock when a finger lifted his chin, and a handkerchief wiped away his tears. Not until his eyes were dry did he realize TJ’s mother had wiped them.

“He respected you very much, Colton,” she spoke through tears of her own.

“He did what I expected him to,” TJ’s father added. “Don’t you blame yourself. We know you never wanted any of this to happen.”

Colton let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Just like their son, they were two of the better people Colton had ever known, better than he deserved.

“Thank you,” he managed through a shaking voice. “I’m so sorry.” He hugged them both for a long moment, but conscious of people waiting behind, he moved on for others to pay their respects.

Arriving back at his brother’s a couple of hours later, the ball of tension that felt like a tumor in Colton’s back disappeared. When it eased away, a drained feeling came over him, and he plopped on Joe’s couch where Kado lay across his feet.

“You did great, Colt,” his dad said, sitting down on the opposite end. “I’m proud of you.”

Colton smiled. “Thanks, Pops.”

As his body molded to the couch and the stress of the services receded, Colton thought of the future. His grief for TJ wasn’t going anywhere, but he was now more focused on what would come. Two more nights were left with his family before life would change forever. For the first time that week, he felt ready.

10

The morning of departure, Colton watched a tiny sliver of light from the rising sun creep through Joe’s living room window. He hadn’t gotten much sleep with his mind racing and nerves bouncing. And to think, a week ago, I woke up worrying about writing a paper.

Neither Willick nor the enlisters had told him anything about any required attire. So once up, he grabbed a pair of jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and a light hooded jacket. He looked down at the medium-sized duffle bag on the floor that the enlister had supplied, meant to hold all he was allowed to take.

Thanks to the fire, it’ll fit about all I own, anyway.

After picking out his clothes, he shaved and showered. He was glad to have extra time to stand under the warm water as it helped calm him. It also made him wonder when he’d have a chance to do it again.

Walking out of the bathroom brought the smell of food to his nose. He walked into the kitchen, and his favorite, pancakes, cooked on the stove. His mom smiled up from making them as he entered. She held the expression until he sat at the table with his dad, brother, and sister-in-law.

“Oh no,” his dad muttered.

His mother’s grin quivered, and she exploded into a panic. “Oh my god, you’re leaving! You’re leaving the entire planet. You’re going off to fight things; I don’t even know what.” She looked horrified. “Colton, don’t go. Please, you can’t go.”

“Now don’t start with that, Sandra,” his father yelled. “The man made his decision and has enough on his mind. We have a bright and talented son, with his...somewhat talented friends, to watch one another’s backs. He’ll be fine.”

“He’s right, mom,” Colton remarked. “You can’t spend every second worrying about me.”

She stared at him for a long moment before letting out a small gasp. As she did, she ran over and gave him a hug. She latched on for a solid minute. All the while, Mary also broke into tears and joined in on the embrace.

Only when he thought all the breath might squeeze out of him did they finally let go. After, his mom calmed down, and he noticed he wasn’t the only one glad for it. Her worrying and restlessness seemed contagious on the men, who looked every which way but at one another.

From there, they ate almost as if it was a typical morning. They sat talking, Colton being questioned mostly about how he felt and what he expected. But before long, the breakfast had ended, and it was time to leave. Everyone else in the house was coming to see him off, so he only had to make one stop.

Kado came walking up with a sad expression on his face. The dog had moped around the night before and the entire morning. He hadn’t even begged for food at breakfast. It was almost as if he sensed the long departure Colton was taking.

He bent down and rubbed both sides of the dog’s neck. “Don’t worry, buddy. I’m not leaving without saying goodbye.” He kissed Kado on top of his head and added, “Don’t know what I’m going to do not having my pup around. I’ll miss you, boy.” He stood up and smiled at the now panting Kado before walking out of Joe’s house for the final time.

Excitement and confusion, curiosity, fear, and doubt, were just some of the many emotions that coursed through Colton as he took the step outside.

The car ride seemed quick. No one talked. It left him to dwell on his disbelief over what he was about to do. They arrived on their ruined street to find Ace already there with his parents and sister, and Tommy with his parents and three older brothers. They all waited in the street in front of the crater.

Scotty showed up only a short time after to see them off. The last to show was Morris, who came with his father, his only family. Colton noticed the pained expression on the face of Mr. Morris. It was clear he found it tough to say goodbye to his only son.

They didn’t know how long they would have once Willick arrived, so the four spread out to all the other people, saying their goodbyes. Colton got “You take care of yourself” from Tommy’s parents. “Keep him out of trouble,” from Ace’s. And, “Watch my boy’s back, will you Colt,” from Morris’ dad. He promised all of them he would do as they asked.

Scotty pulled the four of them to the side, appearing anxious. He kicked a rock and never took his eyes away from the ground when he mumbled, “TJ’s looking down, calling me a coward.”

Colton laughed. “You’re right. But we both know he doesn’t mean it.” If TJ had been there with them, he would have indeed said those words to Scotty, but only jokingly.

“Listen, guys,” Scotty continued, “be safe out there. Look after one another. I’m proud of you, and I’m sure you’ll make TJ proud too.”

Tommy replied, “You just keep things safe on the home front. You keep your eye on things around here, and you’ll make us proud too.”

Scotty pursed his lips and nodded before turning toward the trees at the end of the street. Colton realized he could hear a rumbling sound. Everyone else must have noticed it because they all shifted to look. It was only a few seconds that the noise became more audible, and a familiar craft came floating over the tree line. Colton remembered marveling at it the first time, but the Sinara was even more impressive in flight.

A bright blue light emanated from four openings he hadn’t spotted during his initial encounter, growing or dimming in intensity as the ship flew. The openings were circular, with two located halfway between the front and midsection of the ship’s belly and the other two between the midsection and back. The four fins on the sides also opened and issued forth the bluish glow.

With the craft coming straight at them, the eagle spread in flight on the front made the ship look like a giant beast coming to attack. It came out over the trees and flew in a circle around them. All the while, the bold green letters spelling ‘Sinara’ on the side were visible. After two rotations in the air, the craft stopped and hovered in the sky for a moment. It spun to angle its back to face the crowd and slowly descended toward the surface.

When Colton first witnessed it parked on the ground, clamps came from the sides, holding it in place. But none came this time. The ship descended about five feet above the road and hovered there. It left the group standing between itself and the crater in the middle of the street.

Everyone stared wide-eyed as nothing happened for a moment. Then a hissing sound protruded from the ship, and two panels opened outward from the back, leaving an entrance into the craft’s interior. The group watched transfixed as a ramp descended from the opening and stopped when it contacted the ground.

Willick strolled down the ramp with the air of authority that constantly presented itself around the man. The dark green shirt, gray pants, and long white cape billowing behind him made him seem like the king of the Throne they were leaving to fight for. His eyes immediately spotted Colton, and a small smile spread across the man’s face. He stared them all down and asked, “Is everyone ready?”

Snapping out of their daze, the four turned to their separate families. Colton walked over to Joe and Mary first.

“So this is it,” Joe said.

“That it is,” Colton replied.

“The older brother side of me wants to knock you out and drag you away from here,” Joe remarked, looking dead serious.

Colton smirked. “That’s just because you don’t want me to have the capabilities to kick your ass when I come back.”

A slight grin overtook Joe’s face, and he shook his head.

Mary glanced back and forth between them and broke down crying. Colton placed a hand on both their shoulders before pulling them in for a hug. “I will miss you guys. Try to write me.”

“We will,” Joe assured. “You get your damn ass home, Colt, you hear me.”

Colton stared his brother in the eye, where he saw a tear forming. “I’m going to do my best, Joe. You know I will.”

Joe nodded, and Colton broke away to walk over to his parents.

The tears in his mom’s eyes weren’t unexpected, but the ones in his dad’s were. They both pulled him into a tight embrace. As each of them hugged a side of his body, a few tears of his own fell. The three stayed locked tight in the hug for a good minute before Colton and his dad stepped away, dabbing at their eyes and looking around in embarrassment. His mom cried all the harder.

He thought back to when he believed they were dead and regained his composure. The horror that swallowed him that night; he was going so he could prevent anything like it from happening for real.

“You’ll be fine, Colt,” his father stated. “I know it in my heart. If there was ever anyone with the confidence, intelligence, strength, and wit to make it through this type of situation—there’s no doubt it would be my son.”

Colton swelled with pride, and for an instant, his nerves faded. He always knew his dad was proud of him, but it had never been expressed so directly.

Before he had time for the pride to settle on him, though, his head was between his mom’s hands. “Don’t do anything stupid. Don’t try to be a hero.” Her face was inches from his, and he couldn’t believe how wet it was, nor how fast the tears fell. “Use your brain. Trust your instincts. And you better well be in contact with us.” She let go of his head and turned to walk away but instantly spun back. She pointed a finger at him and added, “Make sure you eat good and healthy, too. Who knows what they have out there.”

She shifted towards Willick, who watched from the side, and yelled, “You will make sure they eat good, right? He’s not a big guy, but I’ll tell you, he eats like one.”

Colton felt his face turn red with embarrassment.

Willick smiled and assured, “Do not worry, madam, we do not plan on starving them.” When Colton’s mom looked satisfied, he added, “So long as they perform satisfactorily.”

The glare she shot Willick made him cringe back.

Colton leaned towards Ace’s sister, smirking at him close by, and whispered, “She thinks I’m still twelve sometimes. I don’t know why.”

When his face was at its normal temperature again, he turned back to his parents, brother, and sister-in-law. “I will see you all again. I promise.” He bent down to pick up his bag and looked at the four of them one more time. He couldn’t find many words through his emotions. It was tough, with everyone now crying. He only managed, “I love you all. Take care until I return.”

He walked over to Willick, who waited with Ace and a red-eyed Morris. Tommy finished his goodbyes with his parents when he realized they were waiting for him. Willick motioned for him to take his time, but he still grabbed his bag and walked over, saying, “I love you,” to his family.

With the group of crying relatives standing twenty feet away, the four turned to face Willick. He stared them down with an earnest expression. He shifted his head left and right and made eye contact with all four. “Before we depart, I want to make one point that I hope you never forget. Look around. I asked to meet here for a reason.”

Colton glanced back and stared at the scene. He saw a group of mostly crying people comprising his family, friends, and friends’ families, all of whom he loved and cared for. Beyond them was his destroyed house in the background, now a pile of black rubble. He paused when his eyes caught the spot where TJ had lain dead. Pure anger and hatred added to the numerous emotions flooding his mind.

He turned away, and Willick continued, “Through your journeys with the Throne, when times are tough and you want to go back home, when decisions seem hard and you are unsure of what to do; never forget why you are there. The people behind you will pray for your lives, but you will fight for theirs. Remember the destruction here. It shows the brutality The Heart of the Flame could bring to your loved ones and your planet. Never forget, for this will be what you are fighting to prevent—the evil you are fighting against.”

As it left Willick’s mouth, each word seemed to permeate into Colton’s head. Each one hit right where it intended, leaving him with a new sense of pride and finality that he made the correct decision.

“With that said, it is time to go.” Willick spun on the spot, his cape swishing around with him, and walked up the ramp into the ship.

Colton took one last look back at his family. Joe and Mary waved to him with tearful smiles on their faces. His parents, however, couldn’t seem to take any more. His mom was embedded in his dad’s arms, who had his head lowered and eyes closed, kissing the top of her head buried within his chest.

Colton turned back to the ship, and one last tear fell from his eye before taking what he thought might be his final step off planet Earth, into the unknown.

11

Colton didn’t know what he expected as he stepped into the craft. He thought the ship’s interior could be one big room or perhaps the same layout as a normal plane. But after the first glimpse, he realized it was nothing like either.

Willick had stopped and turned around about ten feet ahead of them, standing in front of a closed door. The walls and floor consisted entirely of cold, gray metal. Five seats were built in along each side, straps for buckling oneself in hanging down each. Lockers sat past them.

Colton looked at the sides of where they entered and saw where the back corners protruded outward on the craft, there were seats in those compartments as well. They faced a black screen on the wall, and two indents below the screen that he imagined were spots to place your hands.

“Welcome inside the hatch,” Willick announced. “This is where on missions, after suited and ready, we strap in and prepare for disembarkation. It is the last place my men and I have to gather our thoughts and wits.” He motioned to the compartments on the rear sides. “Those are blasters. It is complicated to explain how they work without understanding Solara and our technology. But they are useful in risky situations where we must clear the drop zone and exit quickly.”

Colton surveyed the hatch along with his friends. He imagined sitting strapped into one of the seats, getting ready to jump out into the battlefield. The thought made his nerves rise again and gave the rear of the craft an uneasy feel. It was a relief when Willick turned and pressed his hand into an indent next to the metal door. It slid within the wall, and he stepped through.

Following behind, they emerged into a small corridor with two more metal doors on each side. Past the doors, the ship opened up. Straight ahead of them was the entrance to a room. To the left and right of the room, two hallways split around the exterior of both sides of it. The floor was layered a brilliant dark green throughout. Colton didn’t know what the material was, but it felt soft and padded to his feet.

He followed Willick into the circular room in front of them. In the center was a table built into the ship with chairs around it. Seated and facing the opposite direction was Tal, the back of his long blond hair visible. Next to him was a man Colton hadn’t met. He had greasy black hair slicked back and wrapped in a bun behind his head. The man reclined in his seat with arms folded under the open part of a white buttoned shirt, exposing his sleek chest.

Tal turned around, smiled, and nodded. The other man didn’t greet them in any way. He never took his eyes off Colton, seemingly calculating everything about him.

Colton nodded back to Tal and leveled a neutral gaze at the other man.

Willick opened his arms wide. “Welcome inside what is often our home. I think you have all met Tal.”

“Not properly,” Tal said before standing and making further introductions.

“And this is—” Willick began to introduce the other man.

But Roan appeared from behind and announced, “The cocky bastard of the group.” He grinned and threw an arm around Colton and Morris before asking, “How are you, friends?”

The man Colton hadn’t met spoke in a smooth, light voice. “Roan, do you not have preparations to take care of?”

Roan snapped his fingers and pointed one at the man. “Aye. That I do.” He walked out and disappeared around the corner.

The unknown man stood up, held his hand out to Colton, and greeted, “The name is Dom. I hope all is faring well?”

“I’ve had less crazy days,” Colton responded.

Dom smirked, tilting his head as he did so. “I am sure you have.” He moved on and introduced himself to the others.

“Let us continue,” Willick announced, taking a right down one of the hallways.

The walkway opened up in the middle of the craft to form a square. The exterior wall was to their left, with a window showing a view of trees outside. About five feet to each side of the window, two adjacent walls stemmed off to form the square. Each had a metal door in the far corners from Colton and two strap-in seats built into the walls. Across from the group, another hallway led deeper into the craft.

The metal door opposite them slid into the wall with a hiss. Out of it walked another of Willick’s men that Colton hadn’t met. The first thing that caught his attention was the man’s green hair sticking up in disarray. The man rubbed his bare dark-skinned chest with one hand and his tired eyes with the other. He had clearly just woken up.

Morris leaned towards Colton and asked, “How in god’s name does anyone manage an eight-pack like that?”

“Here zey are,” the man said in a thick accent. He walked over to Willick and bowed his head. “Sir.” He did the same to Colton while extending his hand.

Unsure if he should bow himself, Colton gave an awkward one before grabbing and shaking the hand. “How’s it going?” he asked.

The man grinned. “Colton, right? I saw zat bit of beauty ze other night. Remarkable.”

“This is Fen, my Intel specialist,” Willick introduced. “If I need information about a certain location or situation, he knows it.”

“I will let you finish what you were doing,” Fen said.

He began to walk away but stopped when Willick stated, “I need a favor.”

“Anyzing, Sir.”

“Go get the Quelper footage and find Roan. Meet us in the conference room after I finish here.”

After a quick nod, the back of Fen’s green head vanished around the corner.

Willick turned and headed towards the front of the vessel. They followed until they reached the bow.

“This is the cockpit,” Willick informed. He placed his hand in an indent to the side. Like the others, the door slid into the wall.

Inside, the front window was huge, leaving a complete view of the open sky straight ahead. There were two seats behind a small board of controls, and the final two members of Willick’s team sat in them. One had a helmet over his head with what looked like a glass visor displaying holographic images in front of his face. Colton also noticed what he thought to be a microphone piece in his ear. The man turned around, and shivers ran up Colton’s spine. The images winked out, and behind the visor, the man’s eyes were entirely black.

Willick explained, “This is my pilot, Magil. I can tell from your expressions that the eyes are unexpected, so I will try to keep it simple. He and his twin brother Lax here, my top blaster, are from the same planet as The Heart of the Flame—Quinnero.”

Colton glanced at Lax, and sure enough, the eyes were the same. He looked at the identical brothers’ shaved bald heads and shivered. The combination was unsettling, as if they weren’t human.

“If you are a purebred Quinnero you are born with black eyes. Most of their planetmen dislike us citizens of the Throne, and I am not going into why they do not; that is their story to tell. Just know they are on our side as much as anyone else on my team. I trust them with my life.”

Colton reflected back to when he stared into the eyes of TJ’s killer and realized it hadn’t been the dark playing tricks on him.

Magil and Lax nodded to the four.

“Are we ready for takeoff?” Willick asked.

“Aye, sir,” Magil responded in a nasally accent, sounding all too similar to the man who killed TJ. “Waiting for the order.”

“You have it. I will be in the conference room. Notify me when the Alfadar’s in sight.”

“Aye, sir,” the two brothers responded simultaneously.

Willick turned and motioned the group out of the cockpit. The five walked to the final side of the craft they had yet to see. The ship’s right side was identical to the left’s, an open square with four built-in seats and two doors.

“Take the seats,” Willick offered. “I want to show you something in the conference room, but I am sure you would like to be by a window for your first visit into space.”

Colton and his friends stood motionless for a second in anticipation. They were about to do what few from their planet ever had. Tommy made the first move to a seat, and he followed.

He started to strap himself in when Willick remarked, “Do not trouble yourselves. The plasma thrusters run smoothly. There should only be slight turbulence as we pass through the atmosphere.”

A small rumble vibrated throughout the ship. It lasted only a moment before the Sinara ascended straight up into the air, having no need to take off like an airplane. Colton looked out the window to his left, making out the tops of trees. After a few seconds, only the blue sky was visible. He got that rising feeling in the pit of his stomach, similar to when he would ride a rollercoaster.

They continued to climb higher before the front end angled upward, and the ship motioned to the right. Looking out the window, Colton saw how far they had risen. There was no single car, person, or structure he could identify. There was the land and ocean outline and the separate colors of forests and cities. All of which were becoming vaguer the further they ascended. Sorrow coursed through him as he realized his family was now thousands of feet below. He whispered one last goodbye to them.

The ship again lurched to the right, and they sped up. It was a little shaky, but nothing worse than turbulence on an airplane or the shaking on a city subway. Colton again looked out the window and regretted it. His heart skipped a beat once he noticed how fast the clouds passed. He had never been on anything moving anywhere near the speed.

He glanced over at his friends.

Tommy stared straight ahead. His brown knuckles were losing color with his death grip on both sides of the seat. Ace leaned back with his arms crossed and eyes closed, his head angled up, facing the ceiling. But the half grin on Morris’ face that Colton first took for queasiness was actually excitement. Morris nodded and mouthed, “This...is...awesome!”

Colton gazed back out the window, and all signs of blue skies were fading. The color outside became darker by the second. His eyes were wide, waiting in anticipation for it to end before, suddenly, it did. The ship shot out into space, and once he calmed his racing heart, he gaped at the view of the stars and the darkness. It was amazing.

“Switching to space flight,” Magil’s voice sounded throughout the ship. “Sir, I know we are powered to max capacity and have no need to charge up, but the solar sails can avoid needless wear on the thrusters. We are pretty well defended out here.”

The ship’s rumbling slowed, and the forward momentum ceased. It was strange because Colton saw the different stars flying past, indicating movement, but he couldn’t feel it.

“Stay with the thrusters, Magil,” Willick ordered. “I want all systems accessible and running for safety purposes.”

“Affirmative,” Magil’s voice rang out. “Also, sir, without the Solara shield up, we will have to remember to check for exterior damages when we reach the Alfadar.”

“We will be one of many,” Willick responded to the ceiling. “Make it known who we are. We will not have much time for repairs. The high-seats expect the Sinara to depart independently after the jump.”

“Aye, sir.”

Colton couldn’t believe he was living his boyhood dream. I’m in space! He got up from the seat and hustled over to the window. He sensed Willick watching him as he gazed at the never-ending dark abyss. It truly was a sight to behold. They were floating through what seemed like black emptiness. But staring farther out, he smiled to himself. The number of visible stars, planets, galaxies, everything that space offered was stunning.

He turned to his friends and realized Tommy and Morris were already next to him, gazing out. Ace still sat in the chair with his hazel eyes as wide as possible. He looked up, saw Colton staring at him, and shrieked, “We’re in space, man. Can you believe we’re in space?”

Colton laughed. “Of course I can believe it—I’m looking at it. Come on. You’ve got to see this.”

Ace stood up and walked over to the window.

“This is unbelievable,” Morris declared. He bounced his shoulders up and down like an excited boy on Christmas morning. Tommy leaned on the table underneath the window, staring straight out, his mouth hanging open in awe. Colton laughed again. It wasn’t often you could catch Tommy with an expression like that.

“Face the starboard side towards Earth, Magil,” Willick ordered. “Let these young men view their home like never before.”

Colton turned, and Willick leaned on the wall with an amused smile.

After an acknowledgment from Magil, the ship began to spin, and the four all moved to grab hold of something. But they didn’t need to. The ride was much smoother in space.

As the Sinara spun, Earth came into view. Looking out into the darkness and the stars was one thing, but seeing the beauty of the planet he had grown up on was quite another. The vast white snows of the Arctic stood out first. Below that, he made out the North American continent under the patches of white clouds scattered over it. The Florida panhandle, the green forests in the upper northwest, the tan desert in the southwest; Colton saw it all. Both shores were visible, and the long dark blue stretches of ocean around them. He had seen pictures on television and the computer, but they were nothing compared to what it looked like in person.

He jumped when a hand touched his shoulder, and from behind, Roan remarked, “It is one beautiful planet.”

The ship started to turn back, and Earth fell out of sight.

“Everything is ready in the conference room,” Roan relayed.

Willick nodded. “Good, let us get to it.”

The four of them glanced up at him. Colton knew they must look like children asking, ‘Do we have to?’

“You will have plenty of time to enjoy the views,” Willick responded. “But my time with you is limited. There are things I would like to discuss.”

Colton wanted to relish the sight more, but Willick’s tone meant business. They followed him into the conference room.

12

Returning to the circular room in the ship’s center, Fen leaned over the table. His toned torso was now covered with a tight, rubbery-looking, long sleeve green shirt. “Enjoy ze’ view?” the man asked.

“Awesome,” Morris responded.

Roan smirked and slapped Morris on the back. “Unsure of what that means, but it sounds good.”

Morris let out a small laugh.

Willick motioned, and they all took seats around the table. He remained standing straight across from where Colton sat.

“So, are you just transporting us to this Alfadar?” Tommy asked.

“Yes,” Willick answered. “The other enlisters are being taken on normal transports. Once we reach the Alfadar, a Vintaran battlecruiser, you will link up with them and be on your way to learn what has been long kept from you. For now, you will go to a learning facility to grasp the basics of Solara and then eventually transport to a soldiering camp in the future.”

“Ze’ Alfadar is so massive much of it runs by Solara,” Fen explained. “Because of zat, it must wait outside ze’ barrier where ze’ power is lost. But it is not all zat far. Once all are on, eleven wielders will use zeir’ energies to perform a Solara-jump, landing us a few hours from Vintara.”

Colton frowned, confused. “A Solara-jump?”

“That will be explained later,” Willick cut in. “We do not have the time now.”

“So this Alfadar, how massive is massive?” Morris asked.

“Only the might of the Throne,” Roan replied. “The largest and strongest ship in the fleet.”

“How did we get so lucky?” Tommy asked, glancing over at Colton.

Willick changed the topic. “As to what I brought you here to discuss, we are on the verge of war. But many from my solar system either do not understand or refuse to believe it. From what I am told, using our greatest cruisers to transport Earthlings to the capital planet is causing a fair amount of controversy. Those unwilling to accept the coming struggle fear what your arrival means. You may meet some; people who will deny the very reason you are there.”

He stared them down and continued, “I worry about what you might feel or think when thrown into this situation. That is why I am showing you a video that proves what types of times are ahead. No matter what transpires or what you hear within the coming months, I want you to keep the memory of it in your heads. You have a trying path ahead. I hope to do what is best to help prepare you for it.”

He motioned to Roan, who stood up.

“You must not discuss this footage with anyone,” Roan explained. “It was sent to us directly from the Throne and is confidential.”

He stared at them with eyebrows raised until they all nodded.

“The Throne had a group of four spies posted within The Heart’s private castle. The castle lies inside the ancient Fortress of Flame, on the planet Quinnero. These soldiers spent the last three years moving up in rank to get as close to the top authorities within the Army of Flame as possible.

“They were superb at what they did and supplied us with much information. But roughly four Vintaran days, or 104 hours, before the incident on your planet, The Heart figured out who they were. Our soldiers discovered they were compromised and attempted an escape deep in the night. The soldier in charge, Quelper, had a special camera to activate in case of an emergency.”

Roan pointed to his head, explaining, “An EL, emergency lens. It is a little dot put over your eye, barely visible, resembling a light birthmark. The camera within it has a transmitter attached that, when wielded into, sends the feed straight to a control room on Vintara. The feed goes to a corresponding transmitter, one built with Quelper’s Solara infused in, which waits to record.

“Therefore, when Quelper wielded into and activated his EL, the signal found its Solara match across the universe, hopping light years in hours. He activated it before attempting to flee. This is the footage of that attempt.”

Roan leaned over and pressed a circle that Colton hadn’t seen etched into the table. Many markings blended in, barely noticeable. A hologram appeared from the middle of the table, rising into the air to display the scene.

The hologram was a POV shot of Quelper running down a long hallway with a black marble floor and dark red stones forming the walls on both sides. A hood could be seen on the upper part of the hologram. His hands pushed and pulled in and out of the scene as they moved with his flight.

They were witnessing actual footage of a person running for their life. It left Colton’s heart racing. He couldn’t even imagine the emotions coursing through the man.

Another figure in a long black cloak ran a few feet ahead with their hood pulled up. Quelper spun around and motioned for a woman and another man behind him to hurry. Their hoods were down, and the fear on their faces was evident. He turned and continued to run.

Quelper’s breathing was the only audible sound. He passed suits of armor and giant mirrors in orange frames. Colton jumped when the man ahead of Quelper passed two red doors on his left side, and they, along with the surrounding wall, blew apart.

The hologram shook, and it became tough to determine what was happening, but Colton thought Quelper flew against the wall to his right. When it came back into focus, smoke and soot filled the hallway. For a moment, Colton, and Quelper in turn, could see nothing. But then the smoke sucked out of the air as if by a giant vacuum.

Quelper leaned against the wall, and he looked to see blood pouring down his right arm. He slowly stood up, the hologram that was his view shaking. His hand moved to his shoulder, and Colton didn’t realize what he was doing until he yelled in pain, and a bloody fragment of wood became visible in front of the camera. It must have been debris that pierced him when the door had exploded outward.

Quelper looked up, and a man in an orange cloak had both hands raised in the air as the smoke and soot rushed passed him. It should have made him cough and blinded his vision, but none of it seemed to touch him. Through the haze, his pure black eyes stared straight at Quelper. Colton couldn’t tell if it was the scar that ran the length of his face or if he was smiling. The sight sent shivers up and down Colton’s spine, and even Willick seemed uncomfortable as he shifted his feet.

Only when the air was clear did the man glance away. And that was when Colton noticed the bloody figure of Quelper’s companion that had been running ahead, stirring at the scarred man’s feet.

Quelper raised his hand toward the scarred man, and Colton braced for something to happen, but nothing did. Instead, Quelper’s head must have been forced down because the camera angle showed his entire body shaking as if someone had him by both sides, though no hands were visibly causing it. It kept on for a few seconds before Quelper dropped to his knees. He remained that way for a few moments before his head shot up.

The scarred man shook his head and pointed his index finger at Quelper. “Do not try that again.” He turned to the man stirring on the floor.

Colton cringed when he realized Quelper’s companion had jagged pieces of wood sticking out of different parts of his body.

The scarred man almost looked sad when he said, “Once again, useless misery faced in honor of the Throne.” He pulled a black axe out from under his cloak before lifting it in the air and bringing it down in the middle of the wounded man’s back.

Colton’s first urge was to look away, but he was too stunned as he watched the body spasm a few seconds before lying still. The whole thing happened so fast that he barely heard Quelper scream, “No!”

A chuckle sounded from behind Quelper, and a soft voice ordered, “Hand him to me.”

The scarred man bowed his head.

Quelper’s upper body dropped, and the camera angle spun, causing everything to go out of focus. It didn’t stop until he faced a more petite man wearing a long hooded red robe.

Colton froze. The orange and yellow star embroidered on the robe was the same as on the man in the Tokyo footage. This was The Heart of the Flame.

The Heart’s upper face remained hidden behind his raised hood, as only his mouth and nose were visible. Kneeling in front of him were the other two of Quelper’s companions. He had the back of their necks in each of his hands. They seemed to be unconscious.

“You!” Quelper groaned with evident pain in his voice.

The Heart chuckled and responded, “Of course. You have spent years making a fool of me. Did you think I would send my guards to punish you for that?”

There was no response.

The Heart gave him an approving nod. “I must say, Quelper, you breached farther than anyone ever has with me. That is some accomplishment.”

Quelper spit on the floor. “Save the flattering for your lapdogs. You are but just another man, as am I.”

Those words left Colton with instant respect for him. It was clear he was at The Heart of the Flame’s mercy, yet he still held onto his dignity.

The Heart laughed and declared, “Your two friends’ lives are literally in my hands, and you dare talk that way.”

“I am dead,” Quelper responded in a low voice. “They are dead. And there is no path around that fact. For I welcome to stand in the presence of the prophets, as I know they do.”

The Heart tilted his head to the side with an amused expression. “The presence of the prophets, you say. If only you knew. And yes, you will die. But I have not decided by what means yet.”

The man in The Heart’s right hand burst into flames, and a shriek bounced off the walls, echoing down the corridor. As the man convulsed, The Heart spun his index finger in circles above the body, causing it to spin around on the floor. It went on for half a minute before the man curled up in a fetal position, and the screaming turned into guttural moans.

The Heart thrust his hand to the right, and the man flew into the wall, smashing apart red stones and creating an arch where within his body lay still. The Heart closed his fist, and with one giant whoosh, the flames ceased, burning away the body and leaving nothing but ashes in the depression.

Colton froze, disgusted but astonished.

“It is a good thing I’m positive you know nothing of the plans ahead,” The Heart continued as if he hadn’t just turned a man to dust. “Spare yourself the real torture.”

The woman in The Heart’s left hand stood up and faced Quelper. Her eyes remained closed as The Heart rested a palm on the back of her head. He craned around to look at her face before murmuring in a sad voice, “So young.”

The woman’s head flew up, and her eyes shot open as a black ray protruded from the center of her forehead. She stayed that way for a moment with a blank stare on her face, lips slightly parted, until The Heart uttered in the same sad voice, “What a pity.” The ray winked out, and a hole showed through her head, blood dribbling down. Only when The Heart backed away did the woman’s eyes roll up, and her body crumpled to the floor.

The Heart put both hands behind his back and stepped over the woman’s corpse, smiling. “Now it is just you.”

There was a breaking sound, the angle shifted, and Colton was for a moment confused. A different man kneeled before Quelper, one with a gash on his shoulder and blood running down his arm. Blood ran from another gash on his forehead, soaking into the small beard the man was growing. But then Colton saw the brown trim framing an edge around the man, and he understood. The Heart had placed a mirror in front of Quelper.

He looks young, Colton noted. Only a few years older than me.

The Heart couldn’t be seen, but his voice echoed from the background. “I wish you to see yourself as you die.” A red, yellow, and orange flame-like object swirled and whipped behind Quelper’s head with a snap. In a pernicious tone, The Heart snarled, “Bask in honor of dying for your treacherous king and queen—for your petty Throne.”

Quelper, his head being the one thing he seemed to have control over, closed his eyes and whispered to himself. “Praise the prophets. I hope I have been an honorable and decent enough man and have accomp—”

The flame-like object blazed and whipped again behind him, cutting his words off and causing his entire body to jolt. His eyes and mouth opened wide. He stared at himself for a second before a red line formed around his neck. Blood began dripping down, and his body slowly dropped away from his head, hitting the floor with a thud. The muscles in his face relaxed, and his eyes rolled upward.

The head remained floating in midair, facing the mirror before it swung around and was directly in front of The Heart of the Flame. Somehow, even only inches away, the camera still couldn’t distinguish the upper half of The Heart’s face. But through the dark hood, two orange dots glowed within, where Colton noted his eyes should be.

“Soon!” The Heart spat.

The footage ended and winked out. Shivers ran up Colton’s spine.

The room was quiet while everyone absorbed their thoughts. Willick and Roan weren’t interrupting. Colton figured they wanted the magnitude of the footage to sink in, and it was working. He stared at the empty air where the hologram had been, sick to his stomach. He grew up learning about evil madmen but had never seen one in action.

“So, that was obviously The Heart of the Flame?” he asked.

Willick’s response was a quiet nod of the head.

“Who was the other guy, the one in orange?” Tommy asked.

Roan glanced over at Willick, who kept his gaze on Tommy as he answered, “His name is Darys. He is The Heart’s top advisor and his second-in-command. He is also one of the most powerful wielders in the universe.”

Tommy held a stern look on his face. “You said that video was confidential?”

“Yes,” Willick responded. “Only the highest of authorities within the Throne have seen it.”

“Can you tell me again why you showed us?” Colton wondered.

Willick stared him straight in the eye. “The months ahead will in no way be easy for you. There will be some ready and willing to embrace the coming war. But just as many others can only ignore the harsh reality and look past what is obvious. Because of that, you will meet people who hate you for what you represent. You are going to meet people who hate Earth. You, in turn, will feel disdain towards them.”

He pointed at them. “I hope by showing you this feed, you will remember what you are fighting for. War is coming. You heard what The Heart of the Flame said. That one word meant everything. He understood the people who would see that. He knew the king himself would. The Heart is planning for a war. Our only chance to defend ourselves is if we do the same.”

There was a moment of contemplative silence. Colton didn’t get it. The Heart attacked a planet, killing thousands and resulting in millions of enlisters. It’s obvious a fight is coming.

Ace changed the subject. “Before it slips my mind, what is with the black eyes? Your pilot twins have them, and you said purebred Quinneros have them. But I mean, how did that start? Has it always been like that?

“Those...” Willick began, as if he didn’t enjoy thinking about them.

But at that moment, Magil’s voice rang over the speaker. “Sir, the Alfadar is in sight.”

Willick motioned to Roan. “Explain that to them. I will be back.” He walked out.

“It was a distinguishing mark of the Prophet Quinnero,” Roan explained. “It is said he figured out how and made his eyes black so that everyone would recognize him. After the Great War, when granted the planet for himself, the prophet must have decided he wanted his people to differ from the rest, distinguishable by anyone who met them. Whatever he had done to himself was also done to his faithful followers. And we learned over time that it passes down genetically through the generations.”

“So only if you have pure Quinnero blood it happens?” Morris questioned.

“Yes,” Roan answered. “If mixed with someone from any other planet, or any normal eye color, it will not occur. Whatever he did cannot stand up to the normal laws of nature and Solara.”

“Are there many people like this?” Colton asked.

“It is much rarer now than in the past, but there are still many. Some consider it a great honor. Quinneros are proud of their background and enjoy being differentiated from the rest of the universe. That is why the idea of maintaining a purebred society has arisen again on their planet since The Heart took power.”

Proud of black eyes? Colton thought. That itself seems evil.

“The Heart must have found out how to make a person’s eyes black,” Roan pointed out. “Because there are those with the eyes who were not born with them.”

“Really?” Tommy asked in a surprised tone.

“Yes, the man in orange on that footage is a purebred Vintaran. He and any others of The Heart’s closest followers that were not pure, The Heart changed their eyes. As I said, they consider it a great honor.”

Colton wanted to ask why a pure Vintaran was second-in-command to The Heart. He didn’t see The Heart as someone who would let a non-Quinnero into that position. But he didn’t get the chance because Roan began acting strange.

The man closed his eyes and looked towards the ceiling, letting out what seemed like a soft moan of pleasure.

Colton and his three friends exchanged curious frowns amongst one another.

Morris chuckled before asking, “Are you all right there, buddy?”

“It has been too long,” Roan said before he lifted his arm in the air, and a green sphere of light appeared hovering over his palm.

Colton spent a moment staring in awe before he realized what it meant. Whatever withholds the power from Earth—we’re out of its boundaries.

Roan stared at the sphere for a minute before the entire thing sprayed outward in all directions, melting down in his hand like a fountain. It vanished just as Willick walked back in.

“Permission to never again accompany you on a mission to Earth, sir?” Roan asked.

“Permission denied,” Willick replied without looking at him. His gaze was directed at Colton when he announced, “Okay, gentlemen, we are not far. It is time to dock.”

13

“Get a good view of it. I am sure the Alfadar is like nothing you have ever seen.” Willick led them back to the windows outside of the conference room.

Colton was the second behind Tommy to reach them, and in turn, he was the second to let out a long whistle. Shaped like a cross, the Alfadar looked the size of a city floating out in space. The hull was a plain gray, with its name displayed in white across the top. Identical black symbols of a sword sticking through a star stood out on both protruding sides, the mark of the Universal Throne.

As they flew closer to the battlecruiser, Colton noticed gunners and turrets placed along the hull. Smaller triangular ships, which looked like fighter crafts, were also landed there. He also spotted small dark niches scattered throughout the sides of the cruiser, figuring there were hundreds or thousands more turrets, fighters, repair ships, and whatever else they had ready to sprout from those openings in case of emergency.

A curious question came to his mind. “How are the weapons of this cruiser, or all the fighters and battleships controlled? If it’s Solara, does the strength of those aboard the ship affect how powerful the weapons systems are?”

“While there are projectiles meant for manual launch on all of our crafts,” Willick explained, “the majority of our space warfare is controlled through Solara. Out in the darkness, away from a solar system, we all become more equal in the power. Stuck inside the walls of a ship, many can only rely upon the weapons and technology we have developed.”

He pointed towards a spot on the Alfadar where two gigantic black rods came out of a dark aperture on the side. “Those two blasters could burn my ship into nothing before we even blink. And amazing enough, it takes little Solara to control them. The weakest wielders can operate those guns, and often they do.”

Colton turned and looked back out the window just as they rounded the corner of the Alfadar. His eyes opened wide. There was a large opening in the exterior of the cruiser, where endless amounts of smaller square-shaped crafts moved in or out, forming a long line to wait for entry.

“Those are the normal transports, carrying your friends from home,” Roan explained. “But you see those circle-shaped crafts hovering in scattered intervals around the perimeter? Those are razors.”

Colton saw them. Here and there, mingling throughout all the transports were round disk-shaped crafts. They looked exactly how Colton had always envisioned a UFO to look. They were sitting still, guarding the area. That made him question just how safe the transports were for the Earthlings.

He snapped out of his thoughts to hear Roan’s voice in mid-sentence, “...the greatest fighter crafts the Throne has. They are a relatively newer invention. These ships have the same weapons systems as the normal Locusts—the other fighters resting on the Alfadar itself—but they are twice as fast and can change directions in a heartbeat. There is no front end. You can be inside the cockpit facing the direction you are heading, and if you need to go right, you swivel right, and that is where the ship moves.”

Roan paused and froze with an astonished expression, and Colton thought he expected a big “Wow!” out of all of them. But it never came.

Instead, Morris turned to them and muttered, “UFOs.”

“UFOs.” Colton, Tommy, and Ace all agreed.

“U F what’s?” Roan asked, bewildered. “I do not know what that nonsense means, but these things are top quality and may have a major impact in the coming war.”

Colton smiled to himself. Roan’s appearance and personality made him seem no older than Colton and his friends, but with the lifespan difference, he was likely more than twenty years their senior.

“Our reputation seems to be getting us directly through the gate,” Willick pointed out as they passed by the line of transports into the Alfadar’s opening.

They made their way through the middle, between the ships entering and those departing. While many transports were waiting for platforms to open, the Sinara drifted straight towards the only empty one, with the number eleven on it.

Magil’s voice rang throughout the ship. “Sir, we have been granted access to land at platform eleven. The bridge kept the spot open for quite a while now. They have been waiting for you.”

Willick looked frustrated. “I am sure they have, Magil. Tell them I will head to the captain’s chambers after seeing our friends off.”

“Aye, aye, sir.”

The Sinara descended towards its platform, and Colton took his first good look at the other landing areas. They were large rectangular shapes, arching out of a vast wall that could pass for a second hull inside the cruiser. Each platform had two hatched edges along each side, leaving four hatches per rectangle.

“This is the dock,” Roan explained. “Only when you are inside of the platforms are you inside of the ship.”

The transport crafts had their own hatches on the sides, with each ship parked and held by the side hatch connecting to the platform, allowing four to dock at a time.

Not long after Colton wondered how the Sinara would dock, lacking a side hatch as it did; the top ceiling of platform eleven started to slide inward, pulling back into the wall that was the second hull. The complete top covering disappeared, and Magil guided them not to the side but instead down and into the platform.

“It is a great defense,” Willick said as they descended. “If any enemy ever breached the gate, they have a new obstacle to deal with regarding the dock. Turrets will surround them out there.”

It only took a couple of minutes for Magil to land. As they touched down, Willick motioned them towards the hatch. Magil and Lax stayed with the Sinara while everyone else disembarked.

Colton stepped off the ramp, and his eyes gravitated to the end of the platform where a gate was rising, opening out into the Alfadar itself. Once it was up, a mass of people marched back and forth past the opening. There were a few here and there with, what he had come to learn, were gray uniforms of the Royal Army, while the majority wore blue ones. The actions of those wearing blue froze him in place.

One man seemed to carry a wooden crate in front of his body. However, he wasn’t carrying it. It hung suspended in the air by nothing and moved with the man. Another woman in blue walked along, talking to a different man in gray. In front of her was a cart holding what looked like multiple heavy machine parts. It rolled along as the woman raised her arm with an open palm, a foot behind the cart. She moved thousands of pounds of equipment without breaking a sweat while maintaining a perfectly good conversation.

Colton also recognized his peers from Earth moving amongst the crowd. Not just by their clothing but the conspicuous looks on their faces, expressing their pure amazement. They stood out from a mile away.

“I think it’s safe to say we’re out of our league here,” Tommy said. “These people can do so much more than we could ever have dreamt of.”

“Today, that is true,” Willick announced from behind. “But in the weeks to come, that difference will gradually lessen, and we will reach a point where we are the same people, fighting for the same end.”

Willick’s men seemed keen on mingling back into their world. They quickly gathered their belongings and all but ran the rest of the way off the platform, waving farewells as they disappeared into the crowd.

Willick walked to the end with Colton and the three others before stopping. He looked out at the crowd, saying, “This is where I leave you for now. Remember, what we discussed, you must keep amongst yourselves. It would be best if you did not even mention your contact with me to anyone. Follow the steps and procedures of your fellow Earthlings, and you will be fine.”

He motioned to the right of the platform. “There is a lift past platform twelve. I am not sure exactly how this is being organized, but it seems those transported together are staying grouped together. You should head to that lift and get on with the next group. I am sorry I can’t help you settle further, but I must attend to some matters. I have kept certain people waiting longer than they like.

“Till next we meet,” he said before spinning around, white cape swishing behind him and disappearing into the traffic of people. He went off in the opposite direction he had told them to go.

Colton was a little taken aback by the departure. Willick said he had matters to attend to, but in the back of Colton’s mind, it seemed like Willick didn’t want to be spotted with them. It was a discouraging thought.

The four of them stood unmoving, staring into the traffic. Men and women in blue and gray strolled past, some casting curious glances their way. One man even backed up with a questioning frown after passing by.

Colton figured it looked strange for them to stand alone on the same platform where the Sinara was docked. He glanced around and noted that all the other people from his planet were in large groups led by crew members. He turned towards his friends and said, “Well, I guess we should head down the right.”

They gave him blank looks, still taking it all in. He waved them on and moved out into the crowd.

14

Like a road, when he headed right, most people on his side of the dock went the same way while most on the other moved in the opposite direction. But there were a few stragglers who didn’t follow the routine. The first blue-uniformed guy that passed, brushing Colton’s shoulder as he did, shot a sidelong glance in his direction.

They made their way across the crowd to the closest lift. About a hundred people, most from Earth, were waiting to get on. Colton thought it easiest to mingle in with them. He got a good look at those from his planet as he did. All looked stunned, shocked, nervous, or excited. They were of all ages, Colton judging them to range from eighteen to their forties. Though the majority of the crowd, he would estimate in their twenties.

He didn’t talk to anyone else, just observing before the lift doors opened and everyone poured in. Two soldiers in gray stood on each side of the lift overseeing those who entered. Colton inspected their uniforms as he approached. On one arm was stitched the star-sword symbol of the Throne, and on the other was an emblem of an X with four differently colored circles attached to each endpoint.

A woman in the back of the lift motioned the Earthlings on. Colton moved along with the crowd, and Morris was beside him when he reached the entrance. They were about to go through when it felt like he had lain down on a hot stovetop. His backside seared, and he figured his yelp must have echoed Morris’.

Morris turned to the people behind him and asked, “Was my ass just on fire?”

A woman in the crowd giggled, and Ace forced through a laugh, “Better stop eating those morning burritos, bro.”

A slight blush came to Morris’ pale face. “No, I’m serious. It felt like someone lit a lighter to my ass.”

Colton was about to speak up when he noticed the two guards by the door trotting over.

One of them, a tall man with dark hair and dark eyes, apologized. “Sorry for sparking you, friends. But I do not think you are getting on the right lift.”

The other guard, a broadly built man looking annoyed, asked, “Can you Earthlings not follow simple directions? Why do you not have a group number?”

“Because no one said anything to us about numbers,” Morris responded in a voice that said he wasn’t too happy.

“What do you mean?” the broad guard replied. “The guide on your transport should have marked you and sent you to the correct lift.”

Colton looked around at the people becoming attracted to the scene. The attention made him nervous. Closing his eyes to try to quell the nausea it brought on, he opened them and noticed the number fourteen on everyone else’s shoulder. It was faint but there.

He spoke before thinking. “We didn’t come on a transport. We came on the Sinara.” The words had barely left his mouth before he wished to have them back. Willick had said to try not to mention their connection, and he had already failed.

The big guard looked unbelieving, so Colton added, “The man we came with told us to head to this lift and join the first group we found. I’m sorry we don’t have a number, but if you want to write a fourteen on our shoulder, or whatever you did with all these other people, that’d be fine with me.”

That was a lie. He didn’t like how it appeared as if the Earthlings were marked like cattle, lining up for slaughter. And he certainly didn’t want to go along with that. But he hoped to resolve the situation as fast as possible.

The broad-shouldered guard looked incredulous. “The Sinara? How...wait, you can see the fourteen?”

Colton pointed to those around him and stated, “Yeah, on everyone’s right shoulder.”

The guard blinked, shocked.

The reasonable dark-haired one said, “Come off it, Fed. He probably overheard a serviceman talking about the numbers. And as for Runebar, there is a rumor he offered a ride to some Earthlings. I doubt even the prophets foresee why. But perhaps it is true.”

The man seemed to want to quicken things along. He waved his arm at the four of them, and fourteens appeared on each of their shoulders.

Colton opened his eyes wide, not realizing that they were marked by Solara.

“We are getting backed up here,” The dark-haired guard said. “Let us move along.”

The broad one, Fed, gave them one last skeptical glance, but that was it.

They pushed forward.

Ace asked in Colton’s ear, “What number? I don’t see any numbers?”

“Yeah, how’d you know this was group fourteen?” Tommy questioned.

“I don’t know, I just see them,” Colton answered. But he frowned as he looked around again and no longer saw the numbers. He couldn’t even spot the fresh one on his shoulder.

He spent a confused minute unsuccessfully trying to explain it. They all glanced at their ordinary shoulders and back at him before Tommy shrugged and found an area towards the rear of the lift for them to settle. Colton was pushed almost to the back wall and noticed a woman a few feet ahead staring at him. Eyebrows arched, she directed a scrutinizing look his way. He responded by raising his eyebrows back at her.

When the crowd stopped pushing inward, Tommy asked, “So you think you just used Solara?”

Colton gave him a sideways glance before shaking his head and whispering, “Not now.” He had no idea what had happened, and it wasn’t the place to talk about it.

Tommy nodded and looked away.

Once full, the doors closed, and the crewmember wearing a blue uniform said, “The lift will be a few moments. Everyone will follow me out this way when we reach the top.” She turned to face the opposite wall, which Colton realized was another door. The lift rumbled upward.

The movement brought excitement to the air, and people began talking. Colton stared at the back of the woman’s head that had studied him. She had long, blond hair that hung halfway down her back. It was dark at the roots, lightening the further it got towards the tips. He reasoned she had to be around the same age. Why was she staring at me? He found his feet moving, squeezing his way between people until he looked over her shoulder. He tapped it to get her attention.

She turned around, smiled when she realized it was him, and raised her eyebrows to mimic what he had done to her.

He put on a grin of his own. “Hi, my name’s Colton.”

Her eyebrows arched higher. “Hi, Colton. Do you always come up and introduce yourself to strangers?”

Colton opened his mouth to respond but paused in embarrassment after taking in her words. He quickly recovered and replied, “Only to those who, after everything that’s been going on, stare at me as if I’m the oddest thing they’ve ever seen.”

Her eyebrows dropped, and her face relaxed. Her eyes were stunning. They at first looked a darker blue, but once she lowered them and caught a different light, they appeared green.

She chuckled and said, “I guess that’s understandable. I’m sorry, I’m Kyla. I may have eavesdropped on how you can see the numbers. We didn’t know where they were, and we especially didn’t know how they showed up on us. We were only told that we were group fourteen and to follow the guide. So I found it strange that you can see them when no one else from Earth can?”

He was a little letdown, figuring he should have known that was the reason for the attention. Shaking his head, he responded, “Yeah, I’m confused about that myself.”

She studied him for a few seconds in a calculating manner. “I saw the whole thing with the guards too. Why are you with us if you came on a different ship?”

Colton didn’t want to go against Willick’s wishes for a second time. “That’s kind of a long story.”

She cast a questioning glance as the lift slowed to a halt and the doors opened.

He added as a proposal, “Perhaps one you’ll get to hear sometime?”

She smirked and responded, “Maybe,” before turning and walking out with those around her.

Colton waited up for his friends, staring after her.

Ace clapped his shoulder when they caught up. “You dog, you.”

Colton shook his head, though he couldn’t keep a grin off his face.

Ace continued, “Nice though, man. I didn’t even realize the ladies we might meet out here.” He looked around and ogled a woman walking by. “I love this decision to come here more by the moment.”

Morris rolled his eyes. “Do you understand that we’re here for a war? That we will put our lives on the line?”

Ace shrugged. “Yeah, my life will be on the line. That’s exactly why I’ll be acquainting myself with as many of these fine women as possible before then.”

“We need to keep our heads focused,” Morris growled. “Not just for ourselves but for one another.”

Ace nodded along with Morris’s words. “Agreed. And the presence of the opposite sex keeps my head best focused.”

Colton separated himself from them. They could argue for an hour, and he wanted to observe the ship. They walked out into a large open room. In massive red numbers on the side of the wall was “DECK 7”. The deck opened all around, and groups of people circulated throughout it. An unoccupied dais stood raised in the middle of the room, and at the far end, five separate stairwells spread out, leading into five hallways.

The walls were white, and two giant windows sat opposite one another in the center of each side of the room. They gave a great view out into space. He spotted a few of the triangular fighter crafts flying out there.

Tommy tapped Colton, and he turned to realize that the woman in blue was gathering everyone around her.

“My name is Merina,” she greeted. She had shorter dark hair, which Colton recognized as the norm for the women stationed on the ship. “When all transports reporting to the Alfadar have arrived, we will perform a Solara-jump, also known as a galactic jump. It will be unlike anything you have ever experienced. I am here to help guide you through it.”

She stood a few feet from a skinny black pole that rose to her waist. She walked over, touched it, and a holographic map of the ship’s layout appeared. There were a few exclamations of surprise from the group.

Merina pointed to deck seven. “You are allowed anywhere on this deck and deck six below. The hallways in the back lead to rooms to help ease into the transition of a galactic jump. It will be an odd sensation. But when you have experienced enough of them, you get used to it and can walk freely around the ship during one.”

She lowered her hand. “Deck six is the sleeping quarters and food hall. You—”

An announcement sounded throughout the entire deck in a woman’s voice. “FINAL TRANSPORT HAS ARRIVED. TWENTY MINUTES UNTIL GALACTIC JUMP.”

Merina looked thrown off guard for a moment before taking control. “After the jump, you will all need rest. I will lead you to your quarters straight from the jumproom.” She spun her finger, and a section of the smaller rooms highlighted on the hologram’s layout. “These are them.”

She pointed to a larger room in the middle of the deck. “When you wake, food will be readily available. Head straight to this food hall, as your body will need nourishment. After that, you will be free to wander on either deck.”

She paused before nodding. “That is good for now. Let us get you ready for the jump.”

She led them all to the back of the great room and up the second stairwell from the left. They didn’t have to walk far down the hallway. At the third door on the right, Merina placed her hand on a square next to it. When she removed her hand, the door slid inward.

“TEN MINUTES UNTIL GALACTIC JUMP.”

Merina glanced up at the ceiling and ushered the group inside. The room was decently sized, with chairs built into the floor throughout. He estimated there to be hundreds.

“There are plenty of seats,” Merina called out as she walked behind a podium in the front. “Please sit anywhere.”

Everyone spread out into bunches. Colton and his buddies chose seats near the back.

Merina waited for everyone to settle and was about to speak again when, “FIVE MINUTES UNTIL GALACTIC JUMP,” resonated throughout the ship.

Colton began to feel a little uneasy.

“Now, if everyone will lean their backs straight into their seats and heads against the headrests,” Merina said. “Rest your arms on the armrests, and please place both your feet on the squares below you.”

Colton did as asked and found it cushioned where he placed his head.

“I am going to strap you in,” she warned them. “Please do not get frightened.” She gave everyone a moment, and with a wave of her hand, straps and buckles protruded from the chairs.

They came out of Colton’s own and wrapped around him. He found a strap over his forehead holding his head into the cushion, two straps over his chest and belly holding his back to the seat, and two more held his arms to the armrests. Clamps had come out to hold his feet to the ground.

Many in the room gasped or cursed.

“Well, if all they wanted was an easier way to kill us, I think we’re about to find that out,” Morris stated.

Colton couldn’t even look over at his friend. He was unable to move his head at all.

“Please do not be frightened,” Merina called out again. She stood in the front of the room, at a place where he figured everyone in the group now had no choice but to have a clear view of her. “When encountering a galactic jump for the first time, your body is unprepared for the new sensation. Your brains will not recognize what is happening.”

“GALACTIC JUMP IN ONE MINUTE.”

Colton’s heart seemed to beat out of his chest.

Merina continued, “We will travel light years from where we are in a matter of moments. And so while you will be rooted to the spot you now sit, your body will seem like it is being whipped forward at an unnaturally high speed.”

Does she think she’s helping?

“Try to keep yourself still. Tell yourself that while it seems like you are flying through the air, you are truly sitting in your seat.”

The nerves that had crept up on Colton in such a short time were unbelievable.

“GALACTIC JUMP IN TEN SECONDS...NINE...”

“Good luck, everyone,” Merina interjected over Colton’s racing thoughts. “See you in a different solar system.”

“THREE...TWO...”

Colton panicked. Can any of us end up hurt afterward?

“ONE.”

There was no more time to think. He felt as if his body had transformed into liquid and got sucked through a hole no larger than a dime. And he couldn’t say if it had been a second or a year, but eventually, everything came out the other side of that hole. The same instant he imagined the ‘last drop’ poured through, his body hardened back into its normal solid state.

Then he experienced the “flying” sensation. It seemed as if he had launched out of a giant cannon into a dark abyss and had nothing to prepare him for the descent that came. He fell further into the dark, seeing nothing and fearing where the bottom was.

Tell yourself that you’re sitting in your seat.

He was still flying through the blackness.

I’m in my seat.

Some white lights appeared in his vision.

I’m in my seat.

The surrounding blackness melted away.

I’m in my seat.

He could make out his surroundings.

“I’m in my seat,” he said through chattering teeth.

Every one of his limbs shook as though they had been flailing madly during his flight through the dark. He calmed himself after a moment but became overwhelmed with instant exhaustion.

Merina hadn’t been in a chair during it and still stood in front of the room. Her head was lowered, but her eyes remained raised, staring at them all. She held an expression of guilt and embarrassment on her down-turned face.

Colton tried to focus his attention on the others beside him. He heard the sounds of shaking and grunting in the surrounding seats. A couple of minutes seemed to go by, and exhaustion drove further into his every limb. At the same time, fewer people struggled and made noises. He wondered what a sight it must have been for Merina. How did she stay standing and composed?

After what seemed an eternity, she waved her hand again, and the buckles and straps came undone. Colton’s body loosened and sagged in his chair. It took some effort for him to glance around and see that many others were in the same condition. And some were even worse, looking to the point of being unconscious.

“I am sorry,” Merina apologized. “I suppose we didn’t adequately consider how new this is for all of you.” She showed a weak smile. “The fortunate side is you’re one step closer to my level, which means it eventually will barely affect you.”

Colton didn’t smile with her and had the impression no one else in the room had either.

Merina seemed to give up on offering an apology. “You all have my promise that it only made your body tired. With food and sleep, you will all be fine.” She paused and gave another halfhearted smile. “Now, the hard part will be getting you down a deck to your quarters.”

15

Green cape billowing behind him, Willick Runebar strolled down the wide hallway in the center of the Throne’s Palace. Considered the heart and core of the universe, it was the great white pyramid that had stood since the time of Vintara himself. It disheartened him to no end noticing that even there, as with the rest of the planet, the fear and doubt that poisoned the air were evident.

Heading to the central chamber, he passed many palace folks. From servants to government officials, their anxiety was present. Most politely nodded. Some greeted him with half-hearted pleasantries, and others seemed cheered by his presence. But their eyes told the true story. They were scared.

Most had spent their entire lives praying they would one day stand in the presence of The Son of the Prophets. But now they worried that the person they prayed to see was the one they always feared, the one who wanted their blood spilled over the white marble of the palace floor and walls. It was a feeling that could drive the sanest of people mad, perhaps already had.

Willick whispered a prayer to Vintara that what was about to transpire went well. If it did not, and things took a turn for the worse, he saw only a dark path ahead for the Throne and its people. The solar systems would fall into complete turmoil.

But he would not despair. After all, it was he who had witnessed the young man use the power. And due to the regard the high-seats held for him, he may be the only person in the universe able to convince them.

The central hallway was long but a straight shot to the great chamber. Willick quickly found himself standing in front of two colossal marble doors. One held the Throne’s symbol, while a formation of ten dots circling a star, the high-seats insignia, was engraved on the other.

Two guards in white, King’s Defenders, stood posted outside of the doors, spears in hand with the butt ends rested on the floor. Above the great doors stood one of the palace’s largest and most well-known artifacts, the portrait of Vintara and his original ten high-seats. They were the prophets who saved the universe millennia ago, the prophets after which the eleven planets in the habitable universe were named.

Willick stared at Earth, observing how beautiful of a woman she must have been in person. Long brunette hair flowing down her back, she had a slender and elegant figure that proposed nothing but gentleness in her character. But he knew there had also been great strength hidden there. He wondered what had happened to her planet. Is it truly a son of hers that will set us again on the path these men and women started?

His concentration was broken by a defender in front of him, an older veteran of the palace guard. “Excuse me, Master Runebar, they are ready to see you.”

Willick nodded to the man and waited while they checked him for weapons, wielding up and down the length of his body. After they were satisfied with their search, the defenders opened the doors, and he entered.

Two more guards were posted on the other side, both giving a slight nod as he passed. Behind him, the great doors closed and cast the entranceway of the central chamber into semi-darkness. He took a few steps out into the open, where the room lightened.

The central chamber was the meeting place of the king, queen, and high-seats; the site to discuss confidential information and make significant decisions. Unless called upon, the eight guards were the only other people allowed in, who had all sworn on their lives to maintain their silence. Besides the two Willick had passed, he sensed four others hiding in the shadows to his left and right.

He walked towards a podium in the center of the chamber. Beyond it, a green mist shimmered in the air, a defensive cast that no Solara, not even The Heart of the Flame’s, could penetrate. Behind the fog was a set of stairs leading up toward the top of the chamber, where the king and queen sat on their all-white thrones.

The final two guards stood guarding the bottom of those stairs. To their left and right were two curved tables with five occupied seats behind each. The High-Seat’s tables curved as far as Willick’s ten and two o’clock positions.

He went to the side of the podium and got down on one knee. “May you both be blessed by the prophets, my King and Queen.”

At one hundred sixty-one, the king was getting up there in age. His voice, however, still sounded clear and authoritative. “And you too, my friend. Now please swear an oath to the prophets that you will speak true here today.”

“My King, my High-Seats, I swear by the core of my Solara that all I am about to tell you is the truth as I know it. Let Vintara strike me dead here and now if I utter a single lie.”

A small smile spread across the king’s face before he replied, “Then let us proceed.”

When Willick addressed the high-seats, he noticed a frown on a few of their faces, those more distrustful of him and his crew.

The king leaned back on his throne. “Willick, your reports have reached me, and actions were taken in accordance.”

He nodded in appreciation of the king’s trust.

“But my friend, I want to hear the account straight from your mouth. Tell me what transpired on Earth?”

Willick let his gaze pass over each high-seat, six men and four women, and the queen herself, who flashed him a reassuring smile. Like the king, the queen held him in just as high of regard. They had become parental figures to him.

He locked eyes with the king and began, “When reports came in of a mass force deploying from Quinnero, I reported to you, my king. You ordered me to station myself aboard the Alfadar, to wait for more intelligence on the threat before receiving a further command. While doing so, I consulted with Captain Akeo as to where the force may move and what their plans may be. We were both surprised when it became evident their objective was Earth.

“The captain ordered the jump as close to the forsaken barrier as possible. We arrived around the time the Quinneros first made contact with the planet. I could have waited, as Captain Akeo recommended, for the pilots to operate their ships and set out with the first wave of Locust crafts. But I believed that arriving on my own, instead of with a squadron, would make it more likely I could learn the Quinneros’ intentions.”

Most of the high-seats nodded at his rationale, along with the king. But a couple did not. And one of those was a man named Gunner Brax. Though a highly accomplished man, a good majority in the universe considered him second best to Willick and his deeds. The jealousy and anger that reputation caused within him were always evident when around Willick. They were emotions a High-Seat of the Throne should be able to suppress in certain situations.

Willick continued, “We left and arrived almost thirty minutes ahead of the Alfadar’s force. Upon the Sinara’s arrival, my first observation was that the Quinneros hovered stationary in multiple areas around the planet. We flew in over the ocean the Earthlings call the Atlantic, where enemy crafts were scarce. We received no confrontations upon entering the planet’s atmosphere.

“I used the cover of darkness and flew closer to the nearest continent for a better look. I was perhaps five miles off the northeastern shore of the continent they call North America, above the country the United States of America, when I came in close enough to intercept the Quinneros’ signal. They were bored, angry, and frustrated with their orders to show themselves but do nothing else.”

Everyone in the room focused purely on Willick. He was the only person on the side of the Throne to reach the planet before the Quinneros left.

“I focused specifically on the signal of Tarend Gull, the soldier brought captive from the Army of Flame. His frustrations with the situation at hand overtook him. Going against his orders, he flew over a civilian city and engaged a small neighborhood within. He then announced that he was landing to ‘see what he had won.’” Willick let his disgust show as he uttered Gull’s words.

He was relieved to see the reactions of the high-seats. Some eyes opened wide, a few shook their heads, and even a couple of scowls displayed the complete disgust they felt. But two or three came off impassive with no reactions, Gunner Brax being one.

He locked the knowledge away for later thought and continued his report. “When Gull announced he would land on the surface, my conscience would never have allowed me to sit by and do nothing while innocent civilian lives, no matter their planetality, were in danger. So again, under cover of darkness, I flew to the shore, waiting for my men to relay their landing position.

“When we found it, the other Quinneros had already started withdrawing back into space. I abandoned all caution and sped to Gull’s location. Wary of how the Earthlings would respond to my vessel after an attack on their homes, I had my pilot land the Sinara in the brush cover directly beyond the neighborhood in flames.”

He took a breath to gather how he would say the next part. It has to come out right.

“My men and I were just out of the woods and heading towards the cluster of homes hit when we spotted Gull and his copilot confronting Earthlings outside the closest house. The two Quinneros were in the midst of a fight with six young Earthling men, all of whom had nothing but their brains and hands to defend themselves against the Quinneros’ axes.

“My first observation was that one Earthling was down and curled up on the ground, one was dazed and on his knees, and three others had just paused their fight with the copilot to watch what ensued with the final Earthling and Gull himself.

“The sixth Earthling’s name is Colton Samson. I later found out it was his home that burned, and Gull had made him think his parents had been murdered. As we stepped out into the scene, he was lying on the ground, staring up into the face of Gull. Gull had his axe raised and readied to strike a killing blow. Panic shot through me as I realized that I did not have my power and was too far away to stop him from murdering the poor young man. That is when the unexpected happened.”

Willick paused one final time. May I speak true and strong.

“Gull brought his axe down with as much force as he could muster. Even if he decided in the last second that he did not want to commit the murder and had tried to stop, there was no way his strength alone could have held the blade from coming down. But hold, it did.

“About an inch away from Colton Samson’s raised hands, the weapon stopped flat in the air as if it hit a wall. By being so close to the burning flames of the house, I saw the shock on Gull’s face; he did not understand what had happened. He did not have much time to ponder it either because Colton jumped to his feet, and Gull was thrown through the air, colliding with a tree where he fell unconscious to the ground. And trust me when I tell you, the Earthling never touched Gull.”

Willick was not surprised to see confusion on many faces.

“What are you implying here, Runebar?” Gunner Brax asked.

“I am implying that only one possible thing could have caused the axe to stop in midair, and only one thing could have thrown Gull as such.”

Bayel Rizar, the high-seat who had addressed Earth on behalf of the Throne, asked, “And what is that?” His voice held a mix of hope and curiosity.

“Solara,” Willick stated.

He remained silent as some high-seats gasped, turned to the person next to them, and spoke with disapproval and mockery.

“The man has gone mad,” Brax shouted.

But he found relief as well. He found it when he stared at Rizar and a couple of other high-seats and saw them pondering to themselves. He could almost read their minds saying, “What if?” and “Why not?”

More importantly, he realized he might succeed when he glimpsed the queen. Hope burst into her eyes, replacing the fear she had been hiding. She knew he would never lie to them. She grabbed the king’s hand, and with that hold, he knew the king also found hope.

The king quieted everyone and said, “Let us first allow Willick to finish his account before we discuss this matter.” He motioned for Willick to continue.

“After this event, the copilot tried to escape. He was an accomplice to at least attempted murder, and I ordered my men to catch him at all costs. Unfortunately, that resulted in his death.

“When Colton gathered his senses from the shock of what happened, vengeance was on his mind. He believed his parents were murdered, and I came to find out he had seen Gull give a fatal blow with an axe to a dear friend of his. But I prevented him from killing the man. I am sure after this meeting, you all will be very interested in hearing the Quinnero’s thoughts on what happened.”

Some of the high-seats inclined their heads in agreeance.

Willick continued, “When Colton left, two of my men followed to secretly guard him. I contacted Captain Akeo to notify him of the prisoner being transported and to request an audience with a council member, which occurred the following day when I spoke with you, High-Seat Rizar. That same evening, I met with Colton and relayed my beliefs to him, along with the prophecy.”

The king leaned forward. “And what was his reaction?”

Willick thought a moment. “I think he initially deemed it nonsense. The prophets mean nothing to the Earthlings. And I do not believe he has any similar faith that he adheres to like our saviors and founders. But once he realized how serious I was, even if he did not know what to believe, I could tell he felt obligated to see it through. One of many endearing qualities I sensed in the young man.”

“Following that, Colton agreed to enlist. He came with me on the day of transport, along with three friends joining him for enlistment. Onboard the Sinara, I showed them the Quelper footage so that they better understand the threat we face. I then saw them safely to the Alfadar. As of now, Colton is most likely sleeping aboard the vessel.”

Willick expected a long pause as the high-seats took it all in. So he was surprised when Gunner Brax immediately stated, “Do I hear true this blasphemy? You do not know for sure what happened, and you do not even know the...Earthling. But yet you confide one of the Throne’s top secrets with him?”

Willick had no clearance to show Quelper’s footage. But he did what he felt was best for the Throne, even if others disagreed. “All coming from Earth will have trying days ahead,” he responded. “Many will question their decisions and wonder why they are helping us in this fight. If Colton is who he may be, we cannot let him become one of these people. I find it essential he completely understands what we are all facing. And even after what I have told him, he is still far from that.”

The scowl on Brax’s face made him look like a rabid dog. “And who gave you permission to do this?”

Willick stared him down. “Whoever decided my fate was to be at that place, at the moment the young man wielded the power.”

“You overstep yourself yet again, Runebar,” Brax sneered. “Do you see yourself as a messenger of the prophets? Or are the rumors true? Do you picture yourself as one of them?”

Willick lost his patience and composure. “No, Brax. Regarding any rumors you have probably started, I do not consider myself a prophet.”

“You go too far!” Spit flew from Brax’s mouth.

Gasps of outrage burst forth from some of the others sitting before Willick. The majority trusted him, but they rarely liked how he and his men sometimes governed themselves. He made a mental note to watch his words with the council, one made many times before. He never had much of a taste for politics.

“And no,” Willick continued after Brax’s outburst. “I am not the prophet’s messenger, but I think they had a hand guiding the events of that night.”

“You believe you can do whatever you please.” Brax was still heated. “I am not falling for your plot. You will not manipulate—”

“Enough!” the shout from the king echoed in the chamber and stopped Gunner Brax mid-sentence. Silence hung over the room for a moment after.

“Willick,” the king continued. “Are you saying that this young man from Earth is The Son of the Prophets?”

Willick dwelled a moment before answering. “Your Grace, I cannot sit here and tell you I am certain that Colton Samson is The Son of the Prophets. But I am confident that he wielded the power on Earth. I have been around such confrontations enough to know when Solara is used. It was that night. This means, by our own prophecy, we have two eligible candidates to consider. Between the two, I have to believe that a son of Earth herself is our savior over that wretched scum from Quinnero.”

A long silence ensued. Brax looked like he wanted to jump the table and sprint across the barrier to knock Willick in the face. Willick wished he dared try.

“I find no doubt Willick believes what he is saying,” High-Seat Theda Ujil, a representative from the planet Goria, said. “But he can be mistaken. Therefore, it is logical that we bring the young man back to his home and see the truth for ourselves.”

Murmurs of agreement passed among the other high-seats.

“That will certainly need doing,” Willick responded. “But would it not be best to let him learn to use his power before asking him to will it where no one else can?”

“What is the problem, Runebar?” Brax mocked. “If the boy used it once, he can do it again.”

Willick held his composure. “He is not a boy. He is a twenty-year-old young man, who by their average life spans is through a quarter of his life. And it may be better that he learns how to wield it first because I do not know if it will be easy for him. I find it possible that he wielded during his fight only because his body and mind naturally defended him.”

“This is preposterous,” Brax again interrupted. He looked around at the others and asked, “Are some of you truly considering this nonsense?”

Bayel Rizar came to Willick’s aid. “If he is capable of the feat, it is possible it was his body responding to the threat. We have seen cases in infants and toddlers that when in danger, long before ever learning to control their power, they have wielded it to protect themselves. Therefore we must consider it a possibility that is what occurred.”

Willick addressed the king directly. “Your Grace, I am not asking that this council bend their knee and announce Colton Samson as The Son of the Prophets. I do not even want to put him in danger by letting my thoughts be publicly known. I only ask that we keep watch over him and prioritize his safety. When the council feels he is ready, then take him to Earth and learn the truth once and for all.”

“Your Grace,” Brax pleaded. “It is not wise we harm our minds with these false hopes—”

“Since when does having hope harm the mind?” Rizar interrupted.

The king spoke up. “I know in my heart what Willick says he believes—”

“My King,” Brax interjected. “Do not forget a Runebar has changed loyalties in the past.”

Willick closed his eyes and kept his mouth shut. Gunner Brax was lucky a barrier protected him at that moment.

“That is enough from you, Gunner,” the king replied. “The day Willick turns against the Throne is the day the Throne crumbles.”

Brax looked taken aback. “Of course he has not turned against us. I simply mean he always does what he himself finds right and just. What if—”

“Your king said, ‘Enough!’” the queen shouted.

Willick never heard that edge in her voice before. He relished Brax’s scolded and shamed expression, though there were still traces of anger and defiance.

The king leaned forward. “Regarding the prophecy, we must not falter. The Heart of the Flame will be no savior to us. He will wreak only death, torture, and enslavement on our people. If there is the slightest chance this young man from Earth is The Son of the Prophets, I see nothing wrong with watching over him these coming days.”

Some of the high-seats nodded along with his words.

“The young man must be kept safe. We will protect him while at the same time stay observing him. We will do this without him ever being made aware. Willick is right. The Earthlings will have enough pressure on them. If he may be the prophesized one, we need not add any more.

“And we also should not interfere with his studies. We must let him take his own course, learn his way, and become his own person. The Son of the Prophets is supposed to guide us, not the reverse. We need to trust the prophecy, and if he is our savior, he must be the one to lead us to harmony.

The king stared down from his throne onto the council members. “So I ask you, my High-Seats, my advisors, The Universal Throne’s representatives: do we take precautions in the smallest possibility that Willick is right? Or do we say damn the prophecy and all it has meant to us?” He leaned back. “All hands in favor of keeping watch over this young man from Earth and ensuring he is safe.”

Willick tensed. He could tell that he may have persuaded the king and queen but were the high-seats willing to believe?

He feared all was lost when no hands went up. But he was saved by his new favorite high-seat, Bayel Rizar.

Rizar put his hand in the air and declared, “If even the slightest possibility, we must act accordingly.”

With those words and the truth behind them, all the other high-seats’ hands rose one by one. Willick was surprised even to see Brax’s who muttered something about “slightest possibility” and “action.”

Willick closed his eyes, relieved. He had gotten more than he had hoped. A sense of calm came over him, and it lasted until the council set a rough plan in order, and the king dismissed him.

But a different worry crept over Willick’s mind once out of the chamber. Now the question is how Colton will respond to Vintara and the Throne?

* * *

Later that night, in a wing branching off from the great pyramid, the man known to a select few as Shar closed his office door. As his counterpart’s steps receded, he heaved a heavy sigh.

Their two drinks still sat on his white desk, unfinished. He wielded both over to himself and downed them before walking back and dropping into his seat. Shaking his head, he thanked the prophets that he was not the only sane one left. He would need allies to help counter the foolery of the council.

Bringing the Earthlings to Vintara had been bad enough. They could rot the planet from the inside, like a virus. No one knew whether or not their affliction was physically able to spread. As far as he understood, none had ever been brought to the planet because of that concern. And now he was supposed to consider one The Son of the Prophets?

The council has indeed gone mad.

Runebar believing what he thought was not good enough for him. The Forsaken going and wielding on his cursed planet would not be good enough for Shar. Even if it occurred, the council couldn’t honestly expect its soldiers to stand behind the Earthling while facing The Heart of the Flame on the other side. That would be hopeless.

The Heart of the Flame wielded on Earth. He was already the most powerful wielder in the universe. As much as it pained Shar to admit, The Heart being The Son of the Prophets was the only rational option.

He could join the man. He knew of a few Quinnero spies and agents on the planet. Making contact would not be difficult.

No, it is too soon, he decided.

Before committing to that path, he still had time to see how events transpired. He would not rush his decision like the fools literally jumping ship to the Quinnero System. Once he made that choice, he had to be fully committed, or he would face danger from two factions.

He pulled his father’s coin from his pocket. The silver heirloom still looked as good as the day the old man threw it at his feet and spit on it, decrying his son for making something of himself. The man had never understood that collateral damage was a part of politics. Some civilians have to be left in the darkness if one wants to bring the masses to the light.

He shook the old thoughts from his mind. Dropping the coin, he wielded it in the usual circle around his hand. As the coin spun, a picture of a sun showing one second, the symbol of the Throne the next, he started to think toward the path ahead.

To start, he would ensure the public did not hear of the nonsense. Vintara would implode like a dying star if that happened. He also planned to gather the Throne’s top wielders and send them to Earth. If the Forsaken did summon the power there, that made two people, which meant there could be more. If just one member of the Throne wielded on the rock, that would change everything and make his plan of shipping the Earthlings back to their prison that much easier.

Which led to his last idea. He would strive to have the Earthlings fail. If the scourge struggled in their endeavors and wasted resources, or at least appeared to, the blowback on the council would force them to bend.

Shar heaved another sigh before wielding the bottle over and pouring a third drink. He had a lot of work ahead if he was going to save Vintara.

16

The hours following the galactic jump became one big hazy blur. Colton remembered in bits and pieces that it took quite a while for the crew members of the Alfadar to get everyone to the sleeping quarters, in some cases carrying them. He and his friends could walk, and once in their room, they instantly collapsed onto the bunks inside.

When Colton woke, almost a full night’s sleep later, he lay in bed, connecting the bits of memory. After a couple of minutes, he lifted his head and looked around to see Tommy sitting up, staring at the wall across the room, lost in thought. Morris slept motionless on the top bunk above Tommy, his arm dangling over the side. That meant Ace was the one snoring away above Colton.

Tommy turned and noticed Colton awake. He shook his head and muttered, “That was interesting.”

After a halfhearted laugh, Colton responded, “I’m under the impression we’ll be saying that a lot.”

About an hour later, the four left their quarters and headed to the food hall. Each had a bowl of what tasted like oatmeal. After eating, they headed back up to deck seven. When they stepped onto the deck, Colton’s eyes instantly drew to the massive planet outside the ship’s window. They had reached Vintara.

He stared in awe. It had similarities to Earth, but more differences. A purplish-blue haze hung around the planet. A crewman explained that it was the color of the world’s clouds. It seemed much larger than Earth. And the side he saw only had two continents on it.

One landmass was huge; circular on the right coast, rectangular on the left, and the entire body covered about half the side of the planet. The second continent was smaller, about a fifth the size of the first, and located in the northeast corner of the globe. Its shape looked like the rough outline of a glass bottle. A good bit of ocean, looking a much darker shade of blue than Earth’s waters, distanced the smaller continent from the larger one.

Colton spotted a shorter brown-haired kid staring wide-eyed at the planet. “Long way from home,” he greeted as he walked up next to the guy.

The kid jumped before showing a shaky grin. “Ain’t that the truth,” he responded.

Colton held his hand out. “Colton Samson. What made you abandon reason and join this craziness?”

The kid laughed, seemingly easing away some of his nerves. “I’m Kevin Burnside.” He spent a moment thinking about his answer. “I was at an impasse. Graduated high school last spring, didn’t have money for college, and was working a dead-end part-time job. I guess my life could use a little adventure.” He showed another meager smile.

Colton stared at the kid. A lack of confidence radiated from him, yet he still decided to enlist. “Well, don’t cut yourself short,” he said. “Whether your life was boring or not, it still took balls to come out here. I’m glad to have the help.”

Kevin’s smile firmed, and he nodded.

It was Colton’s turn to jump when a hand slapped his shoulder.

“A purple planet. We’re learning to fight on a damn eggplant, y’all.” A chunkier, blond-haired guy beamed up at him. “The name’s Eric Shaw. Nice to meet you.”

Colton glanced at the hand that had slapped him before shaking it and introducing himself.

Eric looked back out at the planet. “You think these fellers on that circle know what’s comin’ to ‘em.”

Colton grinned, noting that not everyone lacked confidence. “I think we’re going to find out,” he said.

The conversation cut off when Merina appeared and called group fourteen together. Once everyone gathered, she explained, “When the ship lands, I will escort you to the transports waiting on the surface. They will bring you to a facility that will be your home for the coming weeks. It is a place to learn the basics of Solara. I was told to emphasize that it is not a soldiering camp. That will come later.”

She smiled at them all. “Please begin gathering your things, and when the announcement is made, meet me in this spot. Soon you will be the first of your kind to make that initial step onto a new planet. I will see you shortly.”

An hour or so later, Colton found himself on the lift as it descended. His nerves kicked in for the thousandth time that week.

When the lift stopped, the doors opened to a big wall with a yellow painted “DECK 2” on it before that wall slid away. They stepped off, and Colton noticed sunlight seeping through the openings across the deck. To his left, a wall ran upward at a forty-five-degree angle, but straight ahead was a platform where groups of people walked, trying to find the closest and least busy ramp to the right, leading down and out of the ship.

Colton lifted his small bag of possessions. He hefted it over his shoulder and followed the group to the exit ramp. The third one they came across had enough room, so they made their way down.

The sight at the bottom was amazing. Everyone from Earth looked like children as they stared wide-eyed at the scene. They were under the entire ship. Colton didn’t think it the case, but the cruiser seemed to be held up by the many ramparts scattered across the horizon. And from those ramparts, thousands of people descended, making their way to the planet below.

The massive ship seemed larger than when first viewed in space. He made out where the edge met the horizon a long way in front of him. Looking to his sides and behind, it seemed the hull ran on forever, with no skyline visible.

Merina called them together, snapping most out of their daze. She led them towards a spot where blue buses, looking much like prison buses to Colton’s dismay, lined in the hundreds. Because of the mass amounts of people gathering around them, it wasn’t until he stood right up next to one that Colton realized they hovered a couple of feet off the ground. He looked around and wondered if his astonished face appeared as silly as those closest to him. He spotted Kyla, the woman from the lift, looking hesitantly toward the buses.

Merina guided them to their bus and called people forward to go on. There was a moment’s pause when no one moved, everyone around Colton reluctant. He stepped out and approached the bus. Merina smiled and nodded when he reached her.

He gave a shaky grin and climbed up onto the hover vehicle. The interior looked like a regular bus you would find in any city on Earth, only much larger, with a dozen seats per row split in half. Colton estimated it could hold a couple of hundred people.

“Welcome to Vintara,” an elderly woman greeted from the driver seat.

He smiled and thanked her, cheered that she seemed welcoming.

Behind him came his friends. After them, the rest of group fourteen stepped on one by one, some needing to go on a second bus and mix with another group.

“Bus Sixty-Two ready for departure,” the driver announced to the air once everyone was aboard.

“Received Sixty-Two, just waiting on two more,” replied a speaker Colton couldn’t locate.

The driver didn’t respond, and after a minute of dead silence and no activity, Colton became restless. He looked around to see many blank faces lost in thought. He wondered what would happen to all of them in the coming months.

He snapped out of it when the voice spoke again. “Buses Sixty to Seventy, you are all to report to the Dulver Facility.”

“Only eleven buses?” his driver asked.

“Yes, Sixty-Two. It is one of the smaller buildings.”

“Dulver it is,” a different voice reported over the speaker. “Bus Sixty will lead the way.”

A bus two to their right pulled out ahead, followed by the one directly to their right. Colton gave a start when their bus soundlessly rose a little higher and lurched forward to follow. He hadn’t thought the vehicle was running. It had been motionless and soundless.

Tommy, sitting next to him, must have noticed his flinch. He smirked and asked, “You’re the one who’s supposed to save the universe?”

Colton scowled. “Funny.”

Tommy chuckled before recovering his usual features, pointing ahead of them. “Okay, I see the end of the ship. We’re coming up on daylight here.”

Colton sat up, leaning forward in his seat. The bus approached the edge of the cruiser’s hull. Rays of light fell around them as they came out from underneath the massive warship. He craned his head and spotted the sun way up in the air. He looked at it and found it wasn’t much different from Earth’s own, roughly the same proportion in the sky, but a little less bright.

The sky itself was a darker blue mixed with the purplish haze. And when a purple cloud passed between the bus and the sun, it seemed to turn to a violet dusk. The planet had a darker hue than Earth.

The bus traveled across what reminded him of an airfield. Dozens of what Colton thought were warehouses lined ahead in the direction they moved. The warehouses sat behind a tall metal fence that stretched across the entire perimeter. A blue, electrical buzz sparked here and there throughout the fence. When he spotted the sparks, his nerves flared back up, bringing an anxiety that almost overwhelmed him.

It took a moment to calm down and steady his breathing. When he did, he shook his head, not understanding where the sensation had come from.

Eventually, they approached the fence. Once there, the first bus turned right, followed by the others. They didn’t travel long until they arrived at an opening in the perimeter, at which point the front bus again spun to make its way through. Colton watched it hover out the opening, with blue sparks ablaze on the sides of the fence, and rise higher once past. The second bus followed, and it was their turn.

He glanced over and noticed Tommy looked fidgety.

“What do you think it is? Electricity?”

Tommy raised an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?”

“You look nervous. I figured it was from all those blue sparks.”

Tommy craned his head back and asked, “What blue sparks?” He pointed up. “I’m nervous about being in a flying bus. You see how high the other one went?”

Colton hadn’t followed it that far. He looked back at the fence, responding, “You don’t see those blue sparks?”

Tommy’s answer became lost to him as they passed through the opening. His back stiffened on impulse when he was parallel with the fence, and the sparks blazed beside him. He didn’t relax until they were through and rising in the air. Nothing had happened.

Murmurs spread amongst those on the bus as it rose higher, but Colton barely heard them. He realized the sparks might be the work of Solara. He turned to Tommy to tell him but stopped when he noticed the look on his friend’s face.

He glanced out the window and jumped half out of his seat. They had risen to about a hundred feet in the air, flying over the roofs of the warehouse buildings. A massive city sat in the distance ahead, past a barren grayish landscape. It had giant skyscrapers rising into the purple clouds. In front of them, hundreds of different models of hovercrafts headed either towards or away from the city. They lined in single file running in one of the two directions.

Colton was fascinated by the apparent hovercraft freeway. He spotted a second row of crafts flying perhaps double their height and a third maybe quadruple it. It looked to be that the higher levels were the passing ones, speed rising with height.

Their bus merged with the traffic and headed straight for the city, never leaving the lowest level. Colton and everyone near him stared in wonder at the hover vehicles around them. There were circular crafts, triangular ones, those shaped like cars from Earth, and some even in random shapes such as a sword, a hand, or a star. And they were of all different colors.

They soon neared the city’s outer edges. The buildings were similar to the skyscrapers on Earth but differed in various ways. Many seemed much taller, while others were of the oddest shapes. One massive edifice looked like a capital Y. Colton pictured metal and steel when he thought of a city and skyscrapers. But some of what the driver announced as Vintara City’s buildings were constructed of stone and marble. He even swore that one looked plastic.

The most considerable difference he noted was the few large pyramids scattered throughout the city. They stood out boldly because wherever one stood, there were no taller structures in the immediate vicinity. They were always the most prominent building within a few-block radius.

The view started appearing more similar to Earth once they entered the city. The bus dropped to about thirty feet, over the heads of people either walking the streets or on some mini hovercrafts that remained street level. Many looked like hover-skateboards with a pole and handle attached to the front.

“What if a bus breaks down and drops on the people? Can these things break down?” Tommy asked.

Colton shot him a perplexing frown. “It’s a good question. But how the hell am I supposed to know?”

He gazed back out at the scene, shaking his head. It reminded him of a cleaner version of New York City, with no traffic signs, no yellow-painted street lines, and the only cars being the vehicles that flew down to land. Crafts also turned and disappeared into the sides of structures. When they came to an intersection between buildings, Colton realized giant traffic lights were hanging off the buildings themselves. The lights were in the shape of the top half of an hourglass. Like one, the light filled the screen and slowly dissipated until it ran out at the bottom. Then it was the other directions turn to move.

Looking higher up, the second level of traffic didn’t seem to have as many stops. It mostly flew straight across the city, not through it. And though he couldn’t tell, he figured the third level only had the two-way traffic straight across. There’d be very few, if any, stops at all.

Excitement coursed through Colton as he took it all in. There were buildings that the vehicles could pull right up to and order food or had chutes people deposited packages into. In some places, the crafts looked to have private parking spaces on the side of the building, providing easy access for those who lived there. Signs and billboards were everywhere, all displaying characters in motion, promoting something. One of a white-cloaked figure bending a knee in front of a massive white pyramid caught Colton’s eye. It was all remarkable.

But the wonder faded from him once they came upon the Dulver Facility.

They had come out into a part of the city where the buildings weren’t tall, and the streets weren’t so crowded. They descended about ten feet to a point where the street opened up, and crafts could pass, hovering just off the ground.

Colton spotted their destination the moment they turned onto the street. The building reminded him of the correctional facility about an hour from his house back home. The whole place sat surrounded by a fence similar to the one at the airfield, which cast the same blue sparks. He spotted it as their destination because a massive crowd had gathered outside the fence. As they reached ground level, it became clear why they were there.

Lined a hundred feet down both sides of the street, the people waved and yelled as the buses pulled into the complex. Colton smiled when the first sign he saw said, “Welcome to Vintara, friends.” But it vanished when the person was pushed aside, and one behind read, “Go back to your cursed planet.”

As they hovered deeper and got a better view, he frowned. The few welcome greetings were barely noticeable as the bus passed those holding more signs saying, “Vintara shall not be forsaken” and “The barbarians must go.” The people looked cruel and crazy, with abominable hatred etched on their faces. They had no problem shouting things such as, “How dare you bring your disease here,” and, “Prophetless bastards.” Colton figured their buses would have been overrun if uniformed guards weren’t lining the street.

The thought didn’t scare him, however. He was too disgusted with the scene to be frightened. And though Willick had warned him, it was still disturbing.

Even Tommy, who looked impassively at almost everything, seemed angered by the sight. Morris sported a scowl that was his usual, and Ace frowned as he shook his head.

To Colton’s horror, he realized none of the others from his planet had any preparation for what they were seeing. It was a complete surprise to most. He looked around at his fellow Earthlings’ angry, unbelieving, and primarily terrified faces.

“These are who we’re supposed to be helping?” Eric Shaw yelled out in his southern accent. “Them bastards?”

A slight murmur of agreement rumbled through the bus, and Colton glanced at the driver, who appeared uncomfortable.

Eric looked outside, and his face heated at something.

Colton followed his view to an ugly, wiry man holding a sign that read, “The weak bring down the strong.”

Eric displayed his middle finger and shouted offensive remarks at the person.

Colton desired to do the same, but he held back. Looking out at the ignorance in the street, he resented any idea of him and his fellow Earthlings emulating such behavior. He now fully understood what Willick had meant when he said tough times were ahead.

“I didn’t see this coming,” Tommy mumbled beside him. “I hoped an advanced society would have eliminated bullshit bigotry.”

“Screw those clowns,” Colton responded. “We can’t feed into that sick joke.”

Tommy stared at him blankly for a moment before looking away.

The bus had just passed through the opening in the fence when Colton viewed the blue sparks in a new light. Instead of being apprehensive, he now looked at them as protection for his kind. They weren’t meant to keep them in. They would keep out people like those in the street.

But then again, he knew he was just trying to make himself feel better.

They’re meant for both reasons.

17

A glum mood hung in the air as everyone exited the bus. The purple sky had gotten much darker throughout the transport, adding to the dismal air radiating amongst the group.

Colton stepped out into a bare gravel courtyard in front of the facility. He scanned the brownstone building that would become their home for some time. He couldn’t see how far it extended back, but it looked two stories high and rectangular-shaped.

Ten people stood on the stairs outside of the entrance. From old to young, the five men and five women differed in appearance. One woman wore an orange dress with ruffles running up and down every inch, making her appear like a flower. While in contrast, the man next to her wore a one-piece blue outfit that was nearly skin-tight with a purple cloak attached. Colton had noted that many in the city wore a cloak or cape. Seven of the ten at the top of the stairs sported one.

But Colton was also learning that their fashion had similarities to Earth’s. One man without a cloak wore a brown blazer over a gray shirt tucked into khaki-like pants. He could have passed for a professor at Colton’s university if not for the man’s hair shaved into the shape of a star.

As the buses emptied, everyone from Earth slowly shuffled forward, spreading out in front of the stairs. Colton wondered what the ten thought of the angry scowls still on many of his people’s faces.

To their credit, the ten all smiled down, showing no sign of reproach.

The oldest, a woman, seemed to have the biggest grin of all. She stepped forward and greeted, “Welcome, my fellow humans. Welcome, my fellow members of the Throne.”

With her graying hair spilling out from under a hood, Colton judged her to be in her early sixties, Earth’s time, which meant she was probably well over a century old. Wrapped up in a red cloak covering almost every bit of her dark skin, she looked much like a grown-up little red riding hood.

“My name is Allandra. I will be the headmistress of this learning facility. I foremost want to apologize for the egregious lot outside. Not everyone on this planet is a fool, and some of us are extremely grateful for the sacrifice you are willing to make.” She motioned to those behind her, adding, “And that includes us up here, who will be your instructors and hopefully your friends in the coming months.”

As she spoke, Colton felt the anger amongst the crowd receding.

“Please try to understand that most of those people outside are weak and afraid. You mark a change, one they are refusing to acknowledge. And it comes on the brink of a war many are unwilling to accept.” She paused and said more to herself than anyone else, “Fools.”

“Every civilization has them. Those outside are ours. They do not stop and realize that they could just as easily have been born on Earth. They blame you for something you had no control over, labeling themselves superior because fate placed you on a different planet, in a different society and culture than their own. That is not just arrogance or intolerance but also discrimination. And on this world and in this kingdom, we do not embrace that.”

Many of those behind the woman nodded in agreement.

She continued, “All of us standing up here volunteered for this job because we want to help not only our kingdom but you as well. We are fellow humans, not put here to judge but to do whatever is necessary to live and strive with one another. So I ask that you not form impressions of our planet based solely on that xenophobic lot outside. Give us a chance. Let us do our duties as fellow human beings.”

The smile that lit Allandra’s face once she finished seemed unnaturally large, but Colton’s gut told him it was sincere. He had to hand it to her; she eased the tension well. And she had a point. We have our racists back on Earth. It doesn’t make the rest of us scumbags there, and it shouldn’t here.

When he came out of his thoughts, Allandra had addressed something he had missed to the instructors. They turned around and disappeared inside the building, all except Allandra herself.

“We are going to get you settled into your rooms now. They hold two people each. I understand some of you may know one another or have become friends with someone in the past day. You can choose whoever you like to room with as long as you are the same gender. And if you are not acquainted with anyone and would be more comfortable being assigned, we can do that.

“Once you have your roommate, the two of you can report to an instructor inside the door.” She motioned toward the front of the building. “There, they will gather information from you and show you to your quarters.”

She glanced around with another mammoth grin. “Good luck at the start. I am excited to see you all in my class.” She turned and walked into the building, passing two men in dark purple uniforms walking out.

The men strolled out of the facility and frowned down at everyone from Earth with the same serious expression Colton would expect from an on-duty cop. The Earthlings waited to see if they would speak, but it became clear they were there only to watch.

“Off goes the nice old lady with the witty tongue, and in come the guard dogs.” Tommy shook his head. “Why calm us down just to rile us back up?”

“They don’t know us yet,” Colton responded. “Just like they need to earn respect from us, it’ll take more than coming here to earn it from them.”

Tommy’s lips pressed into a straight line, but he nodded.

“Now, what’s it going to be?” Colton asked. “Tommy and I? You two?”

Morris took a deep breath. “Yeah, I suppose.” He turned to Ace and added, “But goodness, I know it will be annoying, possibly a living hell at times.”

Ace’s face lit up. “Thanks, buddy. Look at the bright side: things will be exciting rooming with me. Maybe you’ll even, dare I say, meet a nice lady?”

Morris’s frustrated glare at the sky made Colton grin and shake his head. It also caused Ace to remark, “Eh, probably not.”

The four of them walked into the building. The instructors sat behind desks with lines of fellow Earthlings forming in front of them. Colton and Tommy headed to one while Ace and Morris strolled to another.

Glancing around, Colton didn’t like the four other guards lined on the walls to their left and right. He had to remind himself that even in his high school back at home, which the building reminded him horrifyingly of, there had also been security guards. It’s just a precaution.

There were two groups in line in front of them. He waited as the instructor at the head of the line asked some questions, then departed with the group for a short time before returning. When it was his and Tommy’s turn, they walked up to the desk, and Colton thought that the man sitting behind it couldn’t be more than five years older than himself.

The man looked up and asked with a smile on his pale face, “How is the galaxy treating you, gentlemen?” He handed two glass-like clipboards over. “I need you to fill these out. It is basic information: your name, age, where you come from on Earth, that nonsense.” He cocked his head, seeming lost in thought for a moment before adding, “Well, the information is important. But you know what I mean.”

Colton studied the instructor in puzzlement before mumbling, “Yeah, sure.” He noticed that the guy didn’t look as neat as his peers. His clothes seemed baggier than the planet’s norm, and his brown hair stood up in spots, looking like he had just gotten out of bed. It contrasted the other instructors’ tied, slicked, combed, or neatly shaven hair.

When they finished filling out their forms, the instructor took them and stood. “Thank you. Now let me take you gentlemen to your room.” He walked toward a hallway to their right, and Colton followed along with Tommy. As they caught up, the man turned and held out his hand. “Sorry, please excuse my discourtesy. Five groups and I still cannot get it right. My name is Deen.”

Colton and Tommy introduced themselves.

“It will take time to get the hang of this whole instructor/student situation,” Deen said. He surveyed the clipboards and asked, “So, from the same town. Are you friends?”

“Yeah, for a long time,” Colton answered.

“What fields of employment were the two of you in back home?

“I’m a carpenter,” Tommy answered. “I helped frame houses with my father.”

Deen frowned. “Carpenter? Are all your houses made out of wood? And how do you lift it?”

Colton and Tommy shared a look. Tommy responded, “Mostly, yes. And we lift the lumber with a crane, lull, forks, or by hand.”

Deen tilted his head to the side. “That is impressive. And thinking about it, wood makes sense. Lighter than metal or stone.” He shifted to Colton. “And what about you?”

“Nothing so impressive,” Colton answered. “I work at a bookstore while studying at college.”

Deen smiled. “Given my occupation, I would call that impressive. I am a writer by trade, although not a very successful one.” He turned with suspicion on his face and added, “Does not mean I am not any good, though.”

Colton held a hand up and said, “I wasn’t judging.”

Deen continued, “A rumor has begun to swirl that the kingdom will soon call a draft for the Army. The first to go are those eligible: anyone unemployed and not attending university.” He shook his head. “When you have nothing published, you cannot just say you are a writer when they ask about your employment. It all makes me the perfect candidate to be drafted. But the last thing I want to do is go to war. As much as I find the threat real, I cannot get over the politics that led to it, making both sides believe they are in the right. You know what I mean?”

Colton did, somewhat. But he thought Deen might view things differently if it had been his family personally threatened or his friend killed.

Deen grinned again. “That was when I got lucky and ran into an old instructor of mine, Allandra. She told me how the government was struggling to find enough people to teach the Earthlings and that she was sure she could get me out of the possible draft. So I told her I would marry her if she wanted.” He frowned. “She kindly refused. Hurt my feelings a little.”

Colton blinked a lot at Deen’s words. He was sure Deen wasn’t supposed to be telling them the whole part about the government not being able to find enough instructors. The man seemed to be speaking without thinking. Although Colton respected the honesty.

The conversation, mostly Deen talking, lasted down a couple of hallways and up a flight of stairs until they reached their room.

“And here we are, Room 211,” Deen announced. “Once you learn to control your Solara, it will be a flick of your hand to open and close the door. There is a machine on the other side that, when you are able, you will program your Solara into, and only you two can open the lock. Everyone’s power has its own unique read and feel, just like someone can have their own look and smell.”

He opened the door with a wave of his hand and handed a metal card to each of them. “For now, you can open the door with these. It was nice meeting you two. I will see you.” He turned and walked off down the hall.

“His class should be interesting,” Tommy stated as he lifted his bag and stepped into the room.

“At least he was a nice guy,” Colton responded, following.

The room was about what he had expected. Two beds in the far corners were built into the walls, like cubbyholes. Two black wooden desks were in the corner to his right, and a separate opening led into a bathroom to his immediate left. Between the two beds sat a black chest with eight drawers. And above that was the lone window. It had a curtain raised, letting in a purplish hint of light.

“If I have to deal with this purple light every day, I’ll reach a horrible state of depression,” Tommy grumbled.

Colton shrugged, always rather enjoying cloudy days.

He plopped his bag on the left-hand bed before walking to the window. They had a view into a courtyard surrounded by the facility’s walls. There were benches set around two little gardens where some bluish plants grew. Each end of the yard had an open space large enough for groups to play different games or activities. And a stone fountain sat in the middle, spraying water into the air.

He smiled, thinking it brought some life to the place.

The two settled their stuff in before exploring the rest of the facility. They discovered that the top floor was one large square consisting of the rooming quarters. They stumbled upon Ace and Morris, learning their room was toward the other end of their hall, just into the adjacent hallway.

Ace expressed jealousy when he found out they had a view of the courtyard. “We get to stare at the side of a decrepit wooden building,” he complained.

As they roamed the first floor, they realized the place was small. The bottom floor, mostly the same square, comprised all classrooms except two large rooms branching off at the far end of the entrance lobby. One was a cafeteria, and the other a lounge for downtime. The courtyard was located inside the center of the two-story square. They stepped out into it and saw Kevin Burnside scrutinizing the purple sky.

When Allandra’s voice announced throughout the entire building that it was dinnertime, along with Kevin, they headed to the cafeteria. They spotted room at a table with Eric Shaw.

“It’s a buffet-like setup, but they select the portions,” he informed. “A damn farce.”

Colton got in line and scoped out the different foods. For almost each one, he had to ask what it was. Ultimately, he chose “bej,” which looked like creamy rice, accepting it from a server who seemed high on drugs. Colton also picked steamed carrots from an annoyed-looking woman. The final items he selected were two pieces of pizza from a friendly older man. The cook told him they would try Earthling delicacies to make the students feel more at home.

He found everything good except for the pizza. It had been dry, and the red stuff on it wasn’t tomato sauce. It tasted like mashed-up beets, making him gag.

After dinner, they went to the lounge where most people had gathered. Inside were four televisions with unbelievable clarity, making it seem like you stared through a window at the scene. Three had on the news, displaying the blue buses, those from Earth exiting them, groups of people protesting, and others cheering. The fourth was watched by a handful of women who looked to be in their mid to upper twenties. They had on some show displaying a weird octopus-looking animal giving birth. Colton found it disgusting but intriguing. The women were fascinated.

Also in the room was a mini-library. As a reader, that excited him. Otherwise, there were gadgets, most of which no one could make work. One was a ring that looked to go over one’s head, covering their eyes. Those were in a box labeled “Simulation Cinema,” so it naturally got everyone’s attention.

Colton and his friends spent their time playing cards with decks that were surprisingly the exact same as those from home. He was happy that one hobby of his wasn’t strictly “Earthling.”

Allandra informed them when it was eleven o’clock, two hours from their midnight, explaining that they had twenty-six-hour days on Vintara. Many were shocked, having no idea.

Classes began at eight the following morning.

Colton went back to his room and plopped into bed. He lay there for a while, exhausted but unable to sleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about the protestors, what sort of classes there would be the following day, and how he’d have to get used to eating lunch at thirteen o’clock.

18

The following morning, Colton rolled out of his surprisingly comfortable bed and rubbed his dreary eyes. He sat leaning with his head down and eyes closed for an extra minute before deciding to wash up.

Tommy hadn’t been in the room when Colton woke but was back once he finished.

“Got breakfast,” Tommy informed, pointing towards the desk. A tray sat there containing muffins, what he said was a type of Vintaran fruit, and a glass of what looked like milk.

Tommy saw Colton eye it with uncertainty. “It’s milk,” he confirmed. “Tastes a bit strange but isn’t bad. I wonder what exactly it comes from.”

Colton ate his oat-like muffin, which was okay, just dry and plain. The Vintaran fruit, on the other hand, he found splendidly sweet and juicy. And he agreed with Tommy about the milk. It didn’t taste bad, just foreign.

Once he finished eating, he tossed on a hockey t-shirt and a pair of joggers, and soon found himself sitting in his first class.

The class groups had been made dependent upon age and transport groupings. They were each given small holographic devices stating their schedules and classroom locations. Each group would have its own schedule, with everyone sharing the same classes.

As he sat in the room waiting for their instructor, Colton scanned around and stopped when he found Kyla’s eyes staring his way. She quickly glanced in a different direction, and a slight grin crept across his face.

Eventually, their first instructor, Deen, walked into the room. “Room 140, where we get to meet bright and early every day,” he announced while settling in.

Colton’s seat was towards the back. Tommy sat to his left while Ace and Morris were in front of them.

Deen spun around and waved his hand at a golden board. There were a few gasps when the word ‘Solara’ appeared across the bright surface in brown letters.

“Ladies and gentlemen, for those who don’t know, my name is Deen, and that is what you may call me. Welcome to your first day of ‘Basic Solara.’ Before we start, I am not a teaching instructor by occupation, so I do not have experience doing this. Because of that, I ask you to have patience with me.”

He paused for a minute, looking towards a window facing the courtyard. “As you might have figured out, this is where you will learn not only to grasp the power of the stars but also the basics: what Solara is and how it functions. It is essential to understand these before you can ever hope to wield the power.”

Deen walked around his desk, leaned back on it, and threw one leg over the other. “I think it best to first understand your perception of Solara. What does it mean to you all?”

There was a slight pause before a blond woman asked, “Well, isn’t it magic?”

Deen looked perplexed. “What is magic?”

“Supernatural powers,” a guy behind Colton said. “The ability to do almost anything.”

Deen shook his head. “I promise you there is nothing supernatural about it. Solara is a part of nature, a part that lives in all humans. It is an energy force that draws to and from us all. Whether you can wield it or not, the power is still there. And it functions like all things based upon the laws of nature: it has limits.”

“So what exactly is it?” Kyla asked. “Is it some sort of ability? Do we all have the same powers, or do they differ among others?”

Deen was again shaking his head before she stopped talking. “No, no, no. It is much more than just a singular ability. Solara is part of you. It is your connection to this universe and this existence.” He paused and folded one arm across his chest while resting the other atop it, holding his chin, clearly thinking about how he wanted to phrase his next bit.

“Solara is your shield, as is your skin. Solara is your weapon, as are your fists. It is your tool, as are your hands. It is a sense, as are the other five. Solara is just as much a part of you as the rest of your body and mind. Sometimes it feels alive inside of you. Like a friend there to help you or a mentor there to guide you. Some even claim it is your soul, helping define your life and act as a guide to what comes after death.

“Solara is in all of you. But as your bodies are shaped differently, and unless they are twins, no two people appear identical, the power is unique in you all. There is a multitude of possibilities with which you can use your Solara. But how you choose, this will be a major definition of your character.”

Colton had thought of Solara as just a power or ability. He never pictured he would open the door to his inner self.

Deen narrowed his eyes at the class before looking over at the clock. It was like one you’d see on a sporting event’s scoreboard built into the wall. “I perceive some of you are still confused. And time is limited. So why do I not show you some Solara firsthand. Perhaps that will help.”

He smiled, and a ball of flame appeared over his hand. It snapped everyone’s attention back to him and caused a murmur of excitement. It sat there momentarily before disappearing, and simultaneously an unoccupied wooden chair in the corner of the room hovered a few feet off the ground.

“For many, it is instinctive to reach a hand out or look at an object when wielding into it.” Deen faced the class and not the chair. His hands were at his sides, and the chair still hovered. “But that is just a habit, one that is unnecessary. With Solara, I can sense that chair to my right. I can sense every chair in this room, as well as all of you. I can even sense the Solara burning through your bodies. Though it is a faint shudder compared to a person from this world.”

More excited whispers passed throughout the class.

The chair dropped to the ground. “And just as easily as I called it forth, I can let it go and be back to perceiving the room as you do.” Deen grinned at the class, and the chair picked that moment for one leg to give way, causing the whole thing to topple on its side.

Deen looked at it embarrassingly before mumbling, “That might have been a little too high.”

A couple of people in the room chuckled.

Tommy raised his hand, and Deen, still glancing at the chair from the corner of his eye, pointed at him.

Tommy cleared his throat before saying, “You lifted that chair. Is there a limit to what can be lifted or moved? And if so, how do you measure how much a certain object takes out of you physically or mentally?”

“Fantastic question,” Deen responded, wielding the broken chair pieces behind his desk. “There is a limit, but it is hard to classify because it differs and varies greatly amongst people.”

Deen pointed to a larger built guy in the class. “You may easily lift a hundred-pound rock with your arms but barely do it wielding Solara.” He pointed at a skinny woman in the front. “While you cannot even lift that rock physically, but while wielding you can lift ten.”

“So there’s no way to measure someone up?” Colton asked.

Deen replied, “Power-wise, unless they know certain tricks and are putting them to use, you will always sense someone’s Solara resonating off of them. Most people are on the same level, and when relatively alike in the power, you cannot tell a difference. But some have strength great enough that you can feel the power resonating more strongly from them. Or in contrast, there are some weak enough that you can tell they are less capable.”

Deen again glanced at the clock and said, “Let me show you more of the power.” He walked forward and motioned to a guy in the front row. “How would you like to fly?” he asked.

“Al...all right,” the nervous man stammered.

Deen smiled and lifted his hand. The guy who accepted floated out of his seat. He stayed in a sitting position in midair, his head nervously flicking every which way.

Some laughed, and others looked as nervous as the guy. A woman to Colton’s right gasped and held her hand over her mouth.

“Relax. Hold your arms out,” Deen urged.

The nervous floater did as told and began zooming around the room at a decently quick pace. Colton compared it to the speed of someone jogging. People laughed, jumped up, and slapped his hands as he flew by. Deen eventually set him back down in his seat with a big grin.

“Show us something beautiful,” a woman yelled out.

“Oh, you want ‘beautiful.’” Deen rubbed his hands together. He remained staring at a spot in the ceiling while continuing to rub.

Colton glanced up and noticed a black circle forming above them. It spread out across the ceiling, and little lights appeared in it. They looked like tiny stars. And as more came, some crept out of the darkened ceiling, floating down. Deen seemed to have made a three-dimensional semblance of outer space, and it was dropping stars like snowflakes onto them. Colton was mesmerized, and the murmurs of others agreed.

He watched a star fall and hit a woman’s hand a couple of rows ahead of him. As it did, she shivered, giggled, and said, “It tingles.”

But then Colton’s attitude changed. He had just looked up in time to spot a star about to hit the tip of his nose. Like someone lit a match in the pit of his stomach, a sudden uncertainty came over him, and the star exploded with a ‘pop’ right before it touched his skin. He turned to see if any of his friends had noticed, but everyone remained amazed with Deen’s homemade planetarium.

“And while you will learn more about the beauty of Solara,” Deen said, “it is important you also understand how dark it can be.”

The stars started to disappear, and the darkness spread across the room. Colton lost the ability to see even an inch in front of his face, and a dim hum resonated around him, causing his skin to tingle. The match in his stomach flared. He grabbed his midsection as he felt like someone was inside his body, swinging the flame around. It left him disgusted, as if he was being violated somehow. And that brought on an anger that grew into a fury.

After a moment, the lights came back on, and Colton looked to see everyone else’s reactions. Nobody moved an inch. He spotted Ace staring at the ceiling, mouth hanging open, everything locked in place except his frantic eyes moving every which way.

They’re all frozen still, under his control.

With repulsion gripping him and his wrath boiling to the surface, he didn’t cast a thought on the fact that he was capable of movement. He stood up and scowled at Deen, whose shocked face stared back at him.

“Let them go!” Colton growled.

Deen’s wide eyes blinked, and a moment later, people went sprawling across their desks as if they had just pushed their way through a brick wall.

“How?” Deen muttered.

Colton heard the question, but it didn’t register. His anger still swirled inside of him, and he could hear every heartbeat pounding in his ears. In a harsh tone, he said, “You will never do anything like that again without our permission first.”

Tommy put a hand on his arm, trying to drag him into his seat. “Colton, calm down.”

“No, he is correct,” Deen spoke up. “I am not an instructor by trade, and it showed there. I had no right doing that.”

The apology allowed Colton to relax a margin, and the awful scowl he held diminished. It was like coming out of a trance when he looked down at Morris, who muttered, “Take it easy, man.”

Embarrassment swept over him as, still standing, he glanced around and noticed everyone in the class gaping at him. His face blushed to the fullest when he met Kyla’s wide eyes. At that moment, most of the anger and disgust fled, and he sat back down.

“Colton, was it?” Deen asked. “You are right. I should have at least requested permission or warned you all. I felt I was better getting the point across. But it was a poor decision. I apologize to all of you.”

Colton nodded, trying to look adamant, but he said nothing. He was too preoccupied with attempting to ignore the stares directed his way.

“Can I ask how you repelled my Solara?” Deen looked thoroughly confused.

Good question, he thought before answering, “I...I don’t know.”

Deen frowned. “Hm, that is interesting.”

Colton shrugged, wanting the attention off of himself.

“He saw the numbers they put on us aboard the Alfadar,” Kyla unexpectedly announced to the entire class. “They used Solara to place them. No one else could see them.”

Deen looked amazed. “Is that the truth? It seems we have a special one here.”

Colton closed his eyes. So much for staying under the radar.

Sensing his discomfort, Deen did a fair job of keeping the attention off of Colton for the rest of the class. But the questioning faces from his peers showed they weren’t forgetting anytime soon.

Colton was the first out the door when class ended.

He shook his head. I must have looked like a freaking lunatic. Where did that anger come from? And why the hell didn’t his Solara impact me?

“Colt!”

He turned around to see half the class standing outside the doorway, staring at him while the rest poured out. It was Tommy who had yelled. “I’m pretty sure our next class is the other way,” his friend beckoned.

Colton was tempted to return to his room and hide his face, but he decided against it. He didn’t want to fall behind everyone else, and he most certainly had no desire to draw more attention to himself, which skipping the first day of classes would do. So he put his head down and walked over.

“You all right?” Morris asked as he caught up, the four of them trailing the moving group.

Colton held his head back up. “I’m fine.”

“Well, you didn’t look fine,” Ace offered with a laugh. “You looked like you were going to beat the shit out of Mr. Deen.”

Colton saw the rebuking expression Tommy shot Ace. He piped up, “No, he’s right. I thought I was as well. I don’t even understand what happened. When one of those star things came near me, I felt uncomfortable for no reason. And when the darkness formed, I became enraged. When I realized that no one else could move once the darkness had lifted, it just unleashed from me.”

“Do you think you wielded Solara?” Tommy asked.

“Don’t know. If I did, I have no idea how.”

As the day progressed and they settled into their other classes, Colton got questioned several times about what happened. He politely answered the best he could. But as the day drew on and more people stared, pointed, and whispered in groups, mental exhaustion began to weigh on him. He had little energy left by the time he sat with his buddies in the lounge, playing cards later that night.

“So I’m supposed to learn Mandarin Chinese and Spanish?” Morris asked with a look of incredulity on his face.

“Or Lizellian and Oldirian, as they call it,” Tommy added. He shook his head. “They made it seem pretty important that we get those languages down if we’re going to comfortably integrate with these people.”

Colton shrugged. “We’ll do our best. I’m excited about that ‘History of the Universe’ class. I’m interested to learn about these prophets everyone out here loves so much.”

Morris was about to deal a new hand when a large group of women approached their table. Colton spotted Kyla trying to blend into the middle of the pack. There were about ten, and a small, plump woman he recognized from their class group looked directly at Colton.

“Listen,” she said, “‘I don’t know’ isn’t good enough. I was in that class today, and I saw what happened. We have a right to understand what you did.”

Colton was taken aback.

Luckily, he was saved by Ace, who laughed once the girl stopped speaking. “The sad thing is you all probably believe that nonsense Mrs. Entitled just spewed over there.”

Morris’ eyebrows shot halfway up his forehead, and it was almost comical watching him try to shrink away from the woman standing behind his back. Colton would have laughed if not for his own terror at the reaction he figured was coming.

Through a scarlet face, she scoffed, “You have some nerve.”

Ace seemed to have no intention of backing down. “No, you have some nerve. Attacking someone like this and basically calling him a liar. And even if he was, which he isn’t, trying to force him to tell you something that’s no one else’s business but his own.”

Colton watched her angry face be pulled back into the group when Kyla maneuvered to the front. He noticed a rosy flush to her usually beige-colored cheeks when she conceded, “You’re right. This was an awful way to approach you. But we just want to know if it was Solara you used, Colton?”

He stared at her beautiful eyes and saw the pleading there. It made him buckle.

“All I know is that when the lights went out, a strange warmth flared inside the pit of my stomach. And then the lights came back on, and I realized no one else could move, which made me angry. I’m not usually an angry person, so it was a surprise. Nonetheless, I erupted, yelling at Deen. As for why I wasn’t affected by whatever he had done, I truly and honestly do not know.”

He looked around at every single woman, trying to make eye contact with them so they could see the truth. But a few still frowned back. They wanted something that he couldn’t give them. The whole conversation was pointless. Kyla wasn’t frowning, but he worried that she thought the same.

And that was when he realized the day’s events had hit their peak. He wasn’t a very social person to begin with, and so hadn’t found it easy to be grilled with questions he couldn’t even answer himself, especially by strangers he was stuck light years away from home with. He found himself exhausted and mentally worn out.

In a low voice, he stood up and excused himself, calling it a night.

19

Colton woke early the next morning, figuring the two extra hours in the day already had an impact. He lay in bed for several minutes, pulling his cell phone out of his bag. Since leaving home, he had only used the device to take pictures, so it still had some battery.

He wasn’t finding it too difficult to adjust to life without a phone, wanting to be on the thing less as it was. But the same couldn’t be said for everyone at the facility. Many still needed to carry them along by simple habit. When the first one drained its battery, the guy who owned it panicked, asking around for an outlet to charge it back up. There were none, as everything was run by Solara on the planet. So an instructor studied the device curiously before wielding into the battery, which did the trick. Colton had frowned as the owner let out a long exhale when his phone started up.

Colton pulled his out to view pictures of his family, opening his gallery to a picture of Kado lying at the foot of his bed. Scrolling through, he settled on one taken of his parents on their anniversary a few months before. He smiled to himself, missing them all immensely. The ‘X’ going through his service bars was a reminder of just how far from home Vintara was.

Getting up, he tried not to dwell on the events from the previous day. For that reason, he didn’t go to the café for breakfast. If he had another confrontation to start the morning, he’d snap. So again, Tommy brought it to the room for both of them.

“Got some interesting news,” Tommy announced as he arrived back. “There was something on their media about the king neither confirming nor denying the authenticity of The Heart’s actions on Earth.”

Colton looked up from tying his shoes.

“I guess they talked about the prophecy for a second before the TVs randomly shut off. Some people downstairs are asking questions.”

“Are they getting answers?”

Tommy gave him a disdainful look. “What do you think, Colt? They’re not being told a damn thing.”

Stay positive. ”It will come out, eventually.”

Tommy frowned. “I can’t believe they haven’t said anything yet. They should have done it that first day on Earth, but I thought they’d at least let everyone know what they were getting into before they started this whole mess.”

Colton sighed before reasoning, “By the sound of that news report, their king doesn’t know what to do with his own people. If he can’t figure out what to do with them, I don’t see how he’ll start with us.”

Tommy gazed up, straight at Colton. Colton didn’t like the contemplating look in his eyes.

“Do you think he’ll start with you?” he asked.

Didn’t like that look at all.

He was almost too worried to ask, “What do you mean?”

“Well,” Tommy replied, “what if he plans to wait and talk about it with some big show? Let us get comfortable and then not only tell us about the prophecy but bring you out as hope.”

Colton’s nerves jolted.

“Or...” Tommy continued. “Perhaps that’s why he’s not even talking to his people. He’s letting the idea of Earthlings sink in and cool down. Then he’ll introduce you to them.”

As he continued, Colton hated how Tommy sounded more and more assured of his theory. He thought the more reasonable explanation was that the king was trying to avoid inciting panic onto the planet. But Tommy’s theory had some sense, leaving him worried that both reasons were correct.

He shook his head. I need to stay focused and worry about what I can control.

They finished their breakfast before he and Tommy worked out, doing push-ups, sit-ups, and a run around the courtyard with their hoods drawn up. After cleaning up, they left for class.

When he exited his room, he was surprised to see Kyla waiting in the hallway. She leaned against the wall with her arms behind her back. Her lips curved up into a smile when she saw him.

Pushing off the wall and stepping forward, she asked, “Hey, guys. Could I talk with Colton for a minute?”

He glanced at Tommy, who said, “I’ll see you in class.”

As Tommy headed down the hall, Colton looked back at her and asked in sarcasm, “What, are you stalking me?”

“Maybe,” she said with a smirk before adding, “No. I saw your friend Ace in the café, he told me where to find you. I was hoping to have a word.”

Colton motioned her over. “Let’s walk. We’ll be late for class.”

She dragged her feet as she made her way to his side, staring at the ground with a look of contemplation. Colton frowned and was about to say something before she lifted her head and let out what seemed like a gasp of frustration.

“I’m not good at this,” she said.

Colton scrunched up his nose and forehead in confusion. “At what? Walking and talking?”

A grin came over her face again. She rubbed at an eye before finally settling her gaze on Colton. “I’m sorry for last night. I could barely sleep. I’m so embarrassed to have been a part of that. I should have tried to talk to you one-on-one beforehand.”

He stared at her for a moment before a chuckle escaped his lips. “It’s fine, Kyla. I get it. We’re all anxious out here, and you girls thought maybe I had figured something out regarding this power. But I honestly didn’t. If I used Solara, I have no idea how. Really, I wish I had more for you, but I don’t.”

She was nodding as he finished. “I believe you. It’s the main reason I felt so bad last night, realizing you must be pulling your hair out trying to figure out what happened, and here we bitches are confronting you and adding more stress.”

Colton laughed. “Honestly, it’s okay. I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”

Kyla arched an eyebrow. “Well, in a way, you didn’t handle it. You excused yourself and fled the scene.”

He opened his eyes wide, taken aback.

She burst out laughing. “I’m kidding! Oh my God, that was terrible. I’m so sorry. I couldn’t resist.”

He shook his head before dragging out the word, “Wow,” and turning to walk down the hall.

Her feet echoed behind him as she caught up, brushing his arm with hers before settling into step beside him. As she did, she looked up with a serious expression and said, “Honestly, I am sorry.”

Colton stared down at her. “I know. Thank you.”

As he headed toward their class, she kept pace beside him. He asked, “So, where are you from? What’d you do back home?”

She smiled. “I grew up just outside of Boston. Was going to school for marketing, working part-time at a retail store.” She stuck her tongue out of her mouth and faked a gag. “Ugh, I won’t miss that. What about you?”

He shrugged. “Pretty similar. Still lived with the parents in Connecticut. Going to college and working part-time at a bookstore. I didn’t choose a major yet, couldn’t decide on anything. Which is probably what made coming out here easier for me. I didn’t have much of a plan for the future, anyway.”

“That makes sense,” she responded. “It was a little different for me. I had an internship lined up at a social media startup in Boston. I was pretty excited about it too. But once the Quinneros showed up, the idea of it seemed silly and small.”

Memories of the alien arrival flashed inside Colton’s head, and he fought back a rush of emotions. “That’s for sure,” he agreed. “Still, instead of perhaps the start of a promising career, you enlist for war. That’s pretty damn selfless, Kyla.”

She beamed up at him, her ever-changing green-blue eyes sparkling. “Thank you,” she responded, purposefully bumping her shoulder into his.

Colton grinned. Intelligent, beautiful, and brave. Wow.

They arrived at class and walked in together.

Kyla gave him one last smirk before heading off to her seat.

As he sat next to Tommy, his friend remarked, “Nice grin.”

“Shut up,” Colton responded, through the smile.

He looked up front, and Deen made eye contact for an extra moment before looking away.

Ace and Morris bustled into the room as the scoreboard clock flicked to 8:00.

Deen stood and cleared his throat. “Okay, considering my foolishness yesterday, I have tried to outline my approach better. And so, for today, I hope to show you some minor everyday uses of Solara. Then we will discuss how our lives outside of Earth revolve around it, and I hope we also have time to discuss a little of what you sense when wielding the power. Understanding what to feel for will be essential in your learning process.”

At Deen’s words, Colton sat straighter in his chair. He spent much of the previous evening wondering where that full wrath of anger had come from the day before. He hoped that Deen’s insight into Solara may help explain it.

Deen continued, “Our lives in the universe revolving around Solara coincides with me showing you some basic uses. Here is an example.” He held his hand up, and a pad flew straight into it from the top of his desk.

“I can imagine that to some of you, that particular use may have seemed lazy, considering it would have only taken me a few steps to pick this up by hand. Try to understand that in the rest of this universe, Solara is the root of the human being and human power. Here, we are accustomed to using it to assist in almost everything we do.”

With his free hand, he pointed to the ceiling. “There are no greater powers or forms of energy than the different stars centered in each solar system. As the planets are attracted, linked to, and thus revolve around these stars, so too are humans. This is why Solara is also referred to as the power of the stars. It is considered the human link to these vast amounts of energy.”

Deen held up the pad in his hands. “Consider this. This pad may not be alive, but it has its own energy. It is not much, we humans have far greater, but there is some. When you learn to wield Solara, you will better understand, but all I did to call this to me was pull its energy towards my own. As a star will pull the planets in its system towards itself, I drew this to me, the greater power attracting the weaker.”

Colton focused so intently on Deen’s words that he gave a start when the girl with the attitude from the previous evening stated, “But the sun revolves the planets around it, not to it. If what you’re saying is true, the sun would suck us in until we burn.”

Morris’s eyebrows shot up, and he let out a soft whistle.

“Miserable woman,” Ace mumbled.

Deen stared a moment at his pad. He put his finger on a spot before asking, “Becky?”

When she nodded, he continued, “Stars pull us towards them through gravity. But planets also move at a forward momentum perpendicular to the direction of their sun. It is a momentum that is in perfect balance with the gravitational pull of that sun. The result is the orbit the planets take around their host star. Let me show you something.”

He threw the pad up in the air, but instead of falling to the ground, it came down, stopped, and hovered an inch from his hand. Once there, the pad twirled in circles around it. “The difference between the sun and I, any of us here and the sun, is that we have brains. We have the capacity to think and control how we use our energy and wield our Solara. In this instance, even to intervene with the laws of gravity. Astonishing, is it not?”

After Colton and others nodded, the pad dropped back into Deen’s hands. “There, I was pulling the pad’s energy towards myself. I did not take from the pad’s energy. But if I do this”—the pad burst into flame—“this is me creating a whole new form of energy. An act that, by doing so, drains power from either one or both parties involved. Here, I am lowering the energy I have stored in my body. And it is by a multitude more than I had when pulling the pad towards myself.”

He waved his hand, and the flames vanished from the pad, which looked good as new. “And to be safe, I must note that if you wield too much and drain yourself completely of your power, it can kill you. But that is a discussion to get more in-depth with once you start wielding.”

As Colton listened, he couldn’t help but find a significant fault in the whole thing. “Sir, may I ask a question?”

“Call me ‘Deen.’ And, of course. What is it, Colton?”

“Deen, I was under the assumption that Solara can be wielded anywhere except on Earth and the relative area around it. If this is the case, what happens if you’re not in a solar system? If someone is on a ship in the middle of space and needs a star to wield, how can they do so with one not around?”

“A good question,” Deen began. “You are right that you need not be in a solar system to wield the power. But people become weaker and tire much more quickly outside of one.”

He pointed out of a window in the room. “You may have noticed when arriving on our planet the pyramids we have scattered throughout the city. These are considered sacred places. The elements built into them help absorb our sun’s energy and pull it down into its walls and within the structure itself. Subsequently, the bodies of those within can absorb that energy. Some view it as a charging of the body, allowing for greater feats to be performed within the walls.”

Kyla’s hand shot into the air, and she asked, “Was that the purpose for creating the pyramids on Earth?”

Deen shook his head. “That seems reasonable, but I do not know for sure. Perhaps a historian would better know.”

He looked back out at the class. “My point of bringing it up is that Solara is always present in the human body, but like other parts, it flourishes and responds better to certain environments. In this case, when within a reasonable distance of a star.” He looked skeptically around the room, seeming to worry if everyone was following.

For someone for whom Solara was the center of their life, Colton figured it couldn’t be easy to teach the basics to those who have only known about its existence for a little over a week. Both sides had to be envisioning it in a different light. But in his opinion, Deen was doing a fair job so far.

Deen continued, “Back to my first point of wielding the pad seeming lazy. Solara is not only the root of our solar system but the root of us. Just as it is the sun’s nature to attract us, as I discussed earlier, it is our nature to use Solara with almost everything we do.”

He waved his hand at the golden board behind him. In big brown letters, “Human Nature” appeared in the direct middle of it. They looked like they could have been written with a marker. “We heat homes. We light our streets. Our games and our cinema all function through the use of Solara. Ten men are sitting in a room, trickling their energy into machines that multiply that power by thousands and send them in waves to keep five city blocks powered.”

Deen paused and pondered something before he continued, “I know this must be confusing for everyone here. If there are questions about any of this, please ask.”

Some guy in the back of the room spoke almost instantly. “You talked about a machine that can power multiple city blocks. Well, how does that work in warfare? Are your battles won and lost by men powering machines meant for destruction?”

“I am no expert in war,” Deen responded. “But as I am sure it is on your planet, battles most certainly can be decided by the weapons we use. Though like stars, our weaponry is not alive, and it, most times, has a singular purpose.

“If I am operating a machine that by my single wielding spurts a flame equal to that of ten normal wielders, it is still at a disadvantage going up against ten wielders, or maybe even five strong ones. This is because while that weapon has one basic function, someone wielding Solara can perform multiple actions to counter it.”

When he finished, Tommy asked, “Sir, yesterday you discussed the different strengths among people. How does all that coincide with this talk of energy? How does it work?”

Deen furrowed his brow for a moment. “When describing strength with Solara, I used the rock example, correct?”

“Yes,” Tommy answered.

“Okay. In muscle strength, if you have two men, one may lift a three-hundred-pound boulder while the other can barely lift a hundred. With wielding, regarding energy, the man who could not lift a hundred might wield the three hundred, while vice versa for the other man. There is no correlation between muscle strength and Solara strength. And the strengths can differ greatly in wielding. By physicality, we were talking a couple of hundred pounds difference. With wielding, it can be a couple thousand. The limits sometimes seem nonexistent.”

Colton’s eyebrows shot up.

Tommy continued, “So, like the pad, rocks contain their own energy, and that may or may not be more than some humans can handle?”

Deen closed his eyes and nodded. “A hundred-pound rock was a bad example. Any wielder should have enough energy to lift a hundred pounds. All living things have a much greater energy capacity than non-living ones. And the laws of nature with non-living things usually hold true with energy. The one-hundred-pound rock, in most cases, will not contain as much or more energy than the three-hundred-pound one. That would only be the case if something more powerful hid inside it. But the same cannot be said for humans.

“Someone with a hundred pounds or more muscle may not be capable of withstanding or holding as much energy as someone smaller. And unlike non-living things, there is no basic reference point to judge the difference among people. If it is large or small enough, you will sense that the person is stronger or weaker, but you will not be able to put an exact amount or limit on just how much that is. Do you understand?”

Tommy stared off in thought for a moment before nodding.

“Okay, everyone,” Deen continued with an earnest expression, “now this discussion has turned into that of violence and war, a topic with which I would ask you to try to keep off of your minds until you understand Solara better. I was hoping we could discuss what you should look or feel for when we attempt wielding.”

Colton inched forward in his seat. That is what he had been waiting for.

“The power enhances your entire being when you wield it. Along with sensing everything around you and the energy it all contains, your other senses will improve. You will see more clearly, smell, and hear twice as well as usual. Touch a silk cloth, and it will feel smoother than anything you could imagine. Eat a hot pepper while wielding, and it will taste twice as hot on your tongue.

“And there is more. Solara can also heighten your mood. You must be careful when you learn. For instance, if you are in an extreme state of sadness while you wield, the sadness can become too much to bear. This is why the best wielders have complete control over their minds, feelings, and emotions.

“What do you mean by ‘too much to bear?’” a woman asked.

“Imagine being extremely angry towards someone or something,” Deen answered, and the words drew Colton’s head even closer. “If you cannot control it, when you wield Solara, that anger will boil into nothing short of complete rage.”

Colton tried to think back to the day before. It explained why, when the anger came, it had surged in him like a tornado. But he didn’t remember being angry beforehand. However, he wasn’t sure when he had first taken hold of Solara, if he had at all.

It brought a question to his mind. “What about when you’re already wielding? If you become angry afterward, will it be like that?”

Deen’s eyes swung to him. Colton had no doubt the man remembered Colton’s tone of voice during the previous day’s incident. “Mostly, the answer to that is ‘no.’ While it is not unknown for an extreme state to hit you when already controlling the power, it is rare.

“When you first wield forth Solara, every sense of the body heightens. So much so you are usually unable to get into any other state of mind than the one you entered into it with. This is why it is so important for a wielder to control their emotions. Go under control in a serene state, and that calm will only strengthen to where you can keep your best focus for as long as necessary.”

Colton figured Tommy should be good at the whole thing. He mostly always seemed calm.

“But try not to worry too much over it,” Deen added with a smile for them all. “Most wielders can control their minds and, therefore themselves. When you begin to wield the power, it is a lesson taught in the process and is fairly easy to get used to. For most people, it starts to come naturally.”

With how important Deen made it out to be, Colton certainly was worried. He didn’t know about the planet he was on, but there were a lot of hotheads on Earth.

Deen continued, “Along with heightened senses and feelings, as I explained briefly yesterday and mentioned today, when wielding Solara, you will also sense the energy of all things around you. For people, it will almost seem like everyone in your vicinity has their own core and center from which their energy and power radiate. A select few are such strong wielders that it is rumored their core pulls at you, as stars do the planets.

“I bring this back up because, with a large group as we have here, closely compacted together, that should be one of the immediate things you notice when you take control the first time. You might not realize the better eyesight or hearing right away, but you will sense the energy pulses resonating in the group of people around you.”

Colton again thought back to the previous day. Did I notice any such pulses? He didn’t think so.

Someone in the room asked a question, but Colton didn’t hear it. He became absorbed in trying to understand what happened the day before, so much so it consumed the rest of the class.

20

Adjusting to the time system on Vintara took longer than Colton expected, finding it difficult to get into a regular sleep pattern. And so, while the additional hours allowed more total shut-eye than he was used to at home, he still wound up exhausted.

Even with that being the case, he didn’t find the system too confusing. While there were twenty-six hours in a day, and as he came to learn, thirteen months in a year, it was still sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour, and seven days in a week. So the thirty Vintaran days they had been at the facility equated to thirty-two-and-a-half Earth days.

Not a single Earthling had yet to wield Solara, which Colton found disconcerting. While he hadn’t expected to arrive and be flinging fireballs around the first week, he pictured they would have done at least something after a month. Some people thought they grasped the power for the briefest moment or at least sensed it deep within themselves. But whether they had, were lying, or just imagined it, there was never anything long or strong enough to offer proof.

Allandra reassured them that it would eventually happen, though she couldn’t say how or when. That is what Colton thought over as he waited for the woman to look through a report on her desk at the end of their “History of the Universe” class.

In that particular gathering, she had touched on the prophets. And like anytime she did, her enthusiasm and devotion spilled out, rubbing off on Colton and leaving him with a million questions regarding them.

He glanced at their portraits, six men and five women, hanging on the wall behind her desk. The pictures were painted with Solara wielded into them to help preserve and maintain their original state through the millenniums. They were thousands of years old and looked like they had been created a few days before. That impressed him to no end.

Focusing on what he knew to be Vintara’s portrait, the man had been tall and muscular. He stood with his left arm across his stomach over a golden belt, his right arm twisted behind his back where a purple cape hung to the floor. His body faced the painter on an angle, and he looked as regal as a king ought to. A white crown sat on his head of straight brown hair, which fell to his broad shoulders. He had a clean-shaven face with a medium-toned complexion.

Looking at the picture, it was easy for Colton to understand why the prophets had chosen Vintara to be king. The man looked like a natural leader.

He shifted his attention to Quinnero.

Fair-skinned and red-headed, the man stood with his hands folded in front of him, a long red cloak billowing out behind his black outfit. Match it all with his black eyes, and it made for quite a sharp image, one that Colton found disconcerting. He by no means liked the similarities between Quinnero and The Heart of the Flame.

Shaking away the unease, Colton turned to Earth and smiled.

Independence and strength radiated from the woman. She wore a slim green coat, cut off at the elbows, over a wavy blue skirt running down to her knees. Earth was a natural beauty with her long brunette hair and big hazel eyes that stood out wonderfully on her light-brown skin.

Allandra, her half-graying black hair draped loosely down to her shoulders, looked up with big-rimmed spectacles and grinned. “Ah, admiring your planet’s namesake, Mr. Samson?”

Colton tilted his head. “I don’t know why but staring at her, I feel pride.”

Allandra nodded. “That is the effect the prophets have. Earth was said to be dignified and blithesome, witty and wise, strong and brave. She had the largest heart amongst the prophets and would have sacrificed everything for her people. Your planet came out of the Great War in a ravaged state, and the woman lifted its inhabitants back up and forged them into a flourishing society.”

A calm settled over Colton the longer he stared at Earth. Something told him she had indeed been real, helping to lift his planet out of despair.

“Her and Vintara were at one point believed to be lovers,” Allandra said, glancing at the portraits. When she settled on Vintara, her eyes lit up with admiration. “What a couple the two would make in today’s universe.”

Colton couldn’t deny that. Power seemed to radiate off of the two good-looking prophets.

“There is a theory that Earth also had relations with Quinnero at one time,” Allandra added.

Colton’s eyes opened wide.

“But that has no proven reference.” She turned to him. “So what can I help you with today, Mr. Samson.”

He paused, reflecting on their lesson. “So let me get this straight. Four total solar systems have habitable planets within them. We have Earth in its own system. There’s the Sister System with Bantel and Lizel. The Quinnero System with Quinnero and Oldir. And then the Vintaran System, with Vintara, Huran, Goria, Penski, Corpo and Zidelloff?”

“That is correct,” Allandra replied. “Although there are a couple of essential things to note. Corpo and Zidelloff, while in the Vintaran System, are independent planets. They govern themselves with no influence from the Throne. It is the same in the Sister System. It is called that because the prophets who ruled the two planets were sisters. And from their establishment, there was always a friendly rivalry among them. One that has passed down today in how they remain independent.

“You should also know that Earth was not always alone in its system. The planet Mars was once a habitable land. But its atmosphere was destroyed in the Great War, and the planet was lost.”

“Wow,” Colton responded. Now that is something.

Allandra wielded her tablet-looking device and documents to her side. “And you already know this information, but I should still state it further: while Quinnero and Oldir are a singular entity today, the hostilities between them and the Throne were not always present. In the beginning, every planet was ruled under the Universal Throne, and all eleven prophets were great people who were said to have gotten along well.”

Colton arched an eyebrow. “Eleven different leaders all getting along. That doesn’t seem very realistic to me.”

Allandra shook her head. “I cannot have a conversation with you, Mr. Samson, where you do not start to question my culture’s beliefs. Why is that? I’m sure they had arguments, but minor differences were put aside to better focus on the leadership and guidance of their planets. They fought a war together. Afterward, I am confident that overcoming minor troubles was easy.”

Colton saw the logic there. “And what of this Great War?” he asked. “What more can you tell me?”

Allandra stared at him with a penetrating gaze before turning and offering, “Walk with me.”

Colton followed her out into the halls, and she continued, “It is good to see you seeking further inquiries into the threat the prophets faced. Many of us hold to the notion that it will be a similar threat that you will face.”

He stopped in his tracks.

She took a couple of steps forward before slowing and looking back. “Of course I know, Mr. Samson. I am the head of this facility. The council was not going to blindly leave you a product of this rushed system.”

Colton caught his mouth hanging open and shut it. He strolled back up to her and continued to walk. The hallway wasn’t too crowded, and they both spoke low enough that no one would overhear.

“Sorry,” Colton responded. “You’re the first besides the man that told me about the prophecy to acknowledge my possible part in it. It’s a lot.”

She gave him a sympathetic look. “I cannot begin to understand the immense pressure thrust at you. But I also must ensure that you comprehend the magnitude of it.”

He turned to her, confused.

“Let me get back to your question about the Great War.” She stared ahead as they walked, explaining, “About twelve thousand years ago, your time, a civil war ended across the stars. Having little information about the society before the war or the actual war itself, we only know that the universe was left in ruins. Whole planets had been destroyed or rendered incapable of maintaining life. And for the ones that remained: Earth had been devastated by a global flood, fire spread across Quinnero, and Vintara experienced a drought that still impacts it thousands of years later.”

Colton stared at the floor. A global flood coincided with myths and beliefs of many different cultures on Earth. Civilizations separated by light-years sharing the same tale for Earth’s past seemed too much of a coincidence.

Allandra continued, “Little is known about our prophets and how they forged this universe. And the information we have can only be taken with limited credibility considering so many years have passed, allowing the altering of details, whether intentionally or by mistake. But I know that all eleven of our prophets were real. Too many documents, tales, beliefs, and artifacts exist for it to be otherwise. And after establishing their authority, they rebuilt the planets, governments, society, and cultures we know today.”

She turned an intent gaze on Colton. “Everything stems from that point. I do not know where the prophets stand in your mind, Mr. Samson. But do not doubt their existence, nor the threat they shielded humanity from. Mankind was nearly wiped out during The Great War. That is a fact. Historical and archeological records prove a massive drop in the human population during that time, with billions dead.

“So while I can’t tell you if the prophet’s particular deeds are genuine or if the prophecy itself is, just imagine that it might be.” Her intense stare seemed to burrow into him. “If the prophecy is real, these people foresaw what happened during their lifetime, this apocalyptic event, occurring again. Or at least something similar. This is the threat The Son of the Prophets will face. Whoever the Son is will not just need to defeat an opponent, but they need to save humanity in the process.”

Colton didn’t realize when they had stopped walking, but they had. He stared into Allandra’s eyes and recognized the passion there. She believed fully in what she was saying.

He took a deep breath, his mind spinning.

“Do you grasp the immensity of the situation?” she asked.

“I do,” he answered, feeling that immensity climbing aboard his shoulders.

She nodded. “Good. You’ve gotten paler over the last couple of minutes. That helps me believe you.”

Their conversation was interrupted when a man turned the corner ahead and yelled, “Prophets, there you are. I have been waiting in your office, Allandra.”

The man wore black pants with a white top showing lots of bumped-out embroidery in the same color; Colton thought they were in the shape of stars. A black cape was also draped around his shoulders. His large stomach bulged at the lower part of the shirt.

Allandra furrowed her brow. “Mayor Vanek, what are you doing here? I just received your report today. It does not make much sense.”

The mayor threw his arms up. “I do not know what it is about the facilities in my city that have the council staring down my every thought, but alas, they are.”

Allandra shot a quick look at Colton.

At least they’re not spreading my story to everyone, he noted.

The mayor continued, “You need to get them wielding, Allandra. The streets are erupting, and the high-seats are at one another’s souls. And it is cascading down to me.”

Colton thought of backing away and leaving them to their conversation, but considering it had everything to do with him and his planetmen, he decided to stay.

The man glanced momentarily at him before whispering, “There is talk of sending them home.”

Allandra scoffed. “Bah! Is the council made up of krugals? That is stupidity. The Earthlings have gone their whole lives without wielding and have only been here a month. I need more time. What could the argument possibly be to sending them home?”

The mayor shook his head. “I understand your perspective. But every day they do not wield adds further talk of resources and time being wasted, time we have little of. They are starting to be seen more as a detriment to the coming war than any possible hope of help.”

Colton glared at the guy. His fellow Earthlings enlisted to risk their lives beside the Throne, and this is how its hierarchy viewed his kind?

The man noticed the glare and added, “I am not saying that I agree with the mindset. But it is becoming more prominent within the council.”

Allandra shook her head. “Let us talk further on this in private. Mr. Samson, I will see you tomorrow in my class.”

“Okay,” he said.

As the two departed towards the instructor’s offices, Colton continued to stare after them. The talk of the prophets had his mind already spinning. After that encounter, it was a whirlwind. He frowned and turned the other way, anger growing in him.

21

“With the mobilization of Quinnero troops, the Throne has declared its forces on high-alert,” the newswoman stated.

Colton leaned back in his chair, focused on the report.

“The Army of Flame is believed to be setting up defensive structures on free-floating planets or asteroids between itself and the Vintaran and Sister Systems. Many in the intelligence community are concerned as that would give a distinct advantage for the Quinneros to more easily come upon or surprise any Throne warships coming out of a Solara-jump between the systems.”

He sat in the lounge with a group of friends he had made over the month. They watched the report on one of the screens there, or as they came to learn, were called scopes.

“Well, that doesn’t sound good,” Kyla noted from beside him.

“Not at all,” Molly, Kyla’s friend from home, agreed on the other side of her. She adjusted the black rim glasses on her fair and freckled face, asking, “The Throne should be doing the same thing, no?” She pulled her short, light-brown bangs away from her eyes and glanced around.

Sitting a table over, David Liang turned his dark eyes to the guy beside him and asked, “What do you think, Demarcus? You’re the one with military experience.”

Demarcus, a US Marine, shrugged his broad shoulders. “I’m sure they are. Or, at least, I hope they are. I’m not trained in space warfare, but that seems like a major geographical advantage.”

“Eh, if it was that much of a concern, it wouldn’t be broadcast on their planetary news report,” Ace offered from across Demarcus’ table, where Emily Martinez leaned with her head resting on his shoulder.

Emily’s brunette hair draped over her honey-colored face, hiding part of her smirk as she asked, “Oh, are you a part of their intelligence community now?”

Ace shrugged. “It just makes sense. They’re not going to let the enemy hear their legitimate concerns.”

“And you know this how?” she pressed.

He grinned. “The same way I know you’ll be back in my room tonight. Intuition.”

Emily’s eyes opened wide. She sat up and punched Ace’s arm.

“Why do you deal with this ass?” Morris remarked from her other side.

Colton shook his head and focused back on the report, where a military official was being interviewed.

A woman reporter with short-dark hair asked, “Captain, what is your response to the rumors of Royal Army personnel abandoning their posts. Some even say they are joining forces with the Quinneros, supplying the enemy with confidential intel as they do?”

A second woman in a gray Army uniform, an X with four circles insignia visible on one arm, responded, “Those are false. Our military is stronger than ever with the Earthling’s enlistment to our cause. When they are ready for combat, we will have added eight-figure numbers to our ranks.”

“And when will they be ready?” the reporter continued. “Word is not a single one has yet to wield, leading many to question if our resources could be better spent elsewhere.”

“They will wield,” the captain assured. “It does not help when politicians play their games with the citizenry. The Quinnero threat is on the rise, and instead of working together to combat that, our leaders spread hate in the streets.”

“Yes,” the reporter nodded. “The protests outside of the Royal Palace have started to grow in intensity as the high-seats seem torn on the issue.”

“We really need to wield, y’all,” Eric piped up across from Colton.

“Do you think they’ll send us home?” Kevin asked from beside Eric.

“Bring us all the way out here for a month just to give up and send us packing,” Tommy offered from their same table. “I can’t see that happening.”

The report went to a break, and Kyla nestled up next to Colton.

“You think there’s any chance of that?” she asked so only he could hear.

Colton shook his head. “No way. They need us.”

He had been trying to convince himself of that since Allandra’s conversation with the mayor.

Kyla smirked. “Let me guess. You know that because you’re one of these aliens secretly mingling with us. Which is how you wielded that first day.”

Colton gaped down at her. She liked to bring up the event from Deen’s class at the most random of moments. He guessed to try and throw him off. “You won’t give this up,” he said. “Nothing happened. Deen himself figures he just missed me with the little freeze spell thing. And like I have always said, I lost control of my temper afterward.”

Kyla arched her eyebrow and frowned at him. “You have never once given me the impression you’re easy to anger, much less quick to lose a temper. If you were, you would have exploded on us girls that first night.” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “There is a secret here, and I’m going to get it.”

He laughed. “Perhaps I’m a gentleman and don’t yell at women. Did you ever consider that?”

She snorted.

“Besides,” he continued with a smirk, “if there were a secret to share, I wouldn’t share it with just anyone.” He said it in jest, but her eyebrow shot up again, and a new gleam sparkled in her eye, one Colton had yet to see.

“Is that so?” she asked.

Somehow their hands came together on the table, three of his fingers held over two of hers. They stared at one another, and he felt a strong urge to kiss her.

“Colt, you’ll want to take a look at this,” Ace blurted out.

Colton snapped out of his trance and experienced pure joy at the quick hint of a smile that touched Kyla’s face. She turned away to see what Ace was talking about, and he followed suit, cursing his friend.

He found himself upright a moment later as his chair toppled backward.

“Colton, what’s wrong?” Kyla asked.

On the scope, sneering at the cameras around him, was the man who had killed TJ. The headline named him Tarend Gull. Reading his name and seeing his face made Colton so mad that he wanted to destroy the screen just for displaying the man’s image.

“Colton,” Kyla whispered.

He answered in a low and heated voice, “That’s the man who killed my friend. He killed TJ.”

She gasped, and from Colton’s peripherals, he saw her hand go to her mouth. He had told her about TJ a few days prior, only revealing that a friend of his had been killed on the Night of Enlightenment by Quinneros, nothing else.

He still hadn’t looked away from the screen. Gull was being transported somewhere on Vintara as a prisoner, escorted through a massive crowd by two guards. Manacles kept his hands clasped behind his back with a chain connecting them to a device covering the top of his head. Like a hockey helmet without the front shield, the metal device came down to cover the forehead and appeared to dig into his temples.

“What’s it saying?” Colton asked, sounding calmer than he felt.

“Somethin’ bout this fella killin’ an Earthling,” Eric answered with a bit of hesitation. “The night they came on down to our neck of the woods.”

Colton sensed his newfound friends all staring at him. When he finally turned to face them, they looked away, glancing at Ace and Morris, before shifting to Tommy, who stood directly under the scope. His three hometown buddies glared at the screen just as hard as him.

“Um, did I miss something?” Molly asked, glancing around.

Kyla leaned over and whispered something to her. She nodded and said, “Okay.”

Colton hadn’t told anyone else about TJ’s death, and he didn’t think his friends had either. It was personal, not something any of them wanted sympathy for. No one out there knew TJ, and now they never would. That fact would keep driving the four to do what they must.

“They set his trial date in a little less than three months,” Tommy said, while on-screen Gull was led up a flight of stairs. “The Vintaran media doesn’t seem to know much about the situation. Only that he killed an Earthling and that there are both Vintaran and Earthling witnesses. All of which will be present to give testimony at the trial.” He turned a questioning frown to Colton.

Colton shrugged. There had been no sign of Willick since they arrived, and no one else told them anything about the man who killed their friend, especially nothing about testifying at his trial. It had crossed their minds, though.

The guards walked Gull up the stairs, and as he was just about to enter the building, he spun around with a penetrating black-eyed stare and laughed at the crowd. “You are all fools. Praise Lord Heart of the Flame, The Son of the Prophets!” The guards pushed him inside.

Colton hated those black eyes. The horror of TJ’s death played back in his head. It was the first time he had gone more than a day or two without it happening. “That asshole doesn’t deserve to live for three more months,” he growled.

The news changed headlines on the screen.

“What’s with the personal hatred for this dude?” Demarcus asked.

Seven sets of eyes glanced around and bore into Colton and his hometown buddies, all waiting for someone to speak. One of those, Kyla’s, appeared at his side, squeezing his hand in both of hers. “This is your guys’ business,” she said only loud enough for him to hear. “If you don’t want to talk about it, I’ll make them understand. But know we’re your friends. We’re here for you.”

Colton’s shoulders loosened up, and he breathed a little easier for the first time since seeing Gull on the screen. A corner of his mouth curved up, and he turned to her and teased, “Not a secret, secrets. But you will have to work hard to get the full scoop on me, missy.”

She gave him a wry smile that implied he’d see about that.

“Colt?” Morris asked, reading his expression.

Colton spoke up for all to hear. “These are our only friends we have, in a place further from home than I know how to give a distance to.”

“About twenty-six hundred light-years,” David interrupted, running a hand through his black hair. “Closer to the center of our Milky Way Galaxy than Earth is. Or at least that was what I got from our Geography class.”

Everyone stared at him for a moment. Like Colton, the whole “astronomical locations” thing wasn’t for most of them.

“Yeah, anyway,” Colton continued, “we’re freaking twenty-six hundred light-years from our families and home. We’re all we have. TJ was a great guy, and the thought of him should live on.”

Morris stared back blankly for a moment before saying, “Okay then.”

Colton turned to get the acknowledgment from the other two. Ace smiled in agreement, and Tommy, blank as ever, gave a slight nod.

Colton blew out a breath before angling to face their new friends. “On the night of enlightenment, the four of us here were hanging out with my buddy Scotty and my friend TJ when the Quinnero ships arrived. Not long after they showed up, a few crafts detached from the main contingent and attacked our town. One of the spots they hit was my street.”

“Blew his house to hell,” Tommy interjected.

Kyla gasped, again squeezing his hand.

“We rushed there,” Colton continued. “We hoped to find my parents, but the house burned so badly we couldn’t get in. Then these two guys appeared, that shithead on the scope being one of them. He fully admitted to being the attacker and started threatening to cut our heads off.”

Everyone’s eyebrows rose to their hairlines.

Colton closed his eyes, thinking back to the horror. “I believed my parents were murdered, my dog murdered. I was so angry that I didn’t even think of running.”

“None of us did,” Morris added. “These guys were complete filth, made my blood boil.”

“So we fought them,” Colton continued. “Our friend TJ was killed.”

Gasps echoed around them.

Ace shook his head and said, “TJ, man.”

Colton thought about how he wanted to word the last bit. “We knocked the guy on screen out, and some people from the Throne showed up and dealt with the other one. They then took this asshole into custody. This is the first we’re seeing him since.”

When he finished, the seven who had just learned the story stared at the four who had lived it with wide eyes.

Colton turned to Kyla and squeezed her hand back. “That’s about it. The rest are minor details.” All but the colossal piece I can’t tell you about, he thought, ashamed.

There was a moment of silence.

Kevin broke it by saying, “Well, that’s terrible. I’m sorry.”

A murmur of apologies issued forth from the rest.

“You didn’t tell me you were there when it happened,” Kyla whispered. “That’s so awful, Colton.” She still held his hand and looked straight at him. He very much enjoyed the touch of her hand on his, but TJ’s death reminded him he had more important things to focus on than getting a girlfriend. He let go.

“Tough thing to discuss as it only happened a month ago. The wound’s still fresh.”

She stared down at the hand he removed with a blank expression before nodding.

“So I’m assuming you’re the ones that report said will testify at the guy’s trial?” Emily asked, leaning again on Ace.

Tommy sat back down and muttered, “Good question.”

Ace perked up. “Yeah, what the hell? No one told me anything. Is that us?”

He looked at Colton, which made Morris look at Colton. Which led to Tommy doing the same, be it with an amused expression on his face.

When did I become the leader of this pack?

“I don’t know. Why would I?”

Ace shrugged and responded, “Maybe Willick had said something?”

Colton shook his head. “I haven’t heard a thing. If I had, I would have told you.”

“True,” Ace acknowledged.

Demarcus’ eyebrows climbed his head. “So they haven’t said anything to you guys. Could it be any other Earthlings?”

“Don’t see who,” Morris answered. “We’re the only Earthlings on this planet who were there.”

“Well, if they neglected to tell you about your own court dates,” David added, “makes you wonder what they’re holding back from the rest of us?”

That thought cast a gloomy mood around the group.

“Indeed.” The disdain in Morris’s voice was more than any of them understood.

Every day, Colton fought the urge to let loose and tell his friends everything about the prophecy. It was a struggle, but one he believed would be a mistake to succumb to. He had given his word and wouldn’t break it, hoping that the Throne surprised him and revealed the truth to his planetmen in a way that didn’t send them fleeing.

Tommy cut Colton’s thoughts off when he asked, “So, you guys heard why the four of us are here. How about you? What could have made you abandon reason and travel blind to the unknown?”

Demarcus chuckled before exposing a marine corps tattoo on his brown forearm. “Simple for me. The military sent a small portion of its men to train to wield, and I was one of the lucky few.”

Emily turned to the group and said, “I’m a nurse back home. I came because I want to help aid people, especially during this coming struggle. Plus, I can only imagine the medicine and healing to learn from these cultures and worlds. Maybe we’ll be able to save some lives on Earth after all this.”

Colton felt a further respect growing for his friends.

Kyla spoke up next to him. “They flew into our skies, easily took out any opposition, wreaked the destruction of that evil man, and were gone within minutes. It’s important that we’re here, learning their ways to at least give our planet a chance.” A big smile lit her face. “And besides, excluding war, I’ve always dreamed of having an adventure like this.”

Colton grinned. The two huge dimples in her enthusiastic smile made her look even cuter than usual.

David followed her, saying, “Other than overcoming and countering the helplessness those scumbags spread throughout our planet, I like to know about everything. If I didn’t come here, there’d be a lot of learning I’d miss out on.”

Molly chimed in. “I’ve always loved astronomy. Space has pulled to me. Along with wanting to do my part to protect our planet, it seemed like destiny for me when we were given the chance to travel through the stars.”

When she finished, they all turned to Kevin. He stared at the table with a sheepish expression before explaining, “I was never good at sports or schooling, didn’t have many hobbies, and was still unsure what I wanted to do with my life. So I figured perhaps my purpose is to do what I can in space. Maybe I’d fit in better out here.”

Even though he was a shaky and meager little guy, Colton respected Kevin. The whole thing clearly frightened the hell out of him, but he still went through with it. There’s bravery there. The poor kid doesn’t realize it.

The last was Eric, who explained, “They threw the first punch. So I’ll be damned if I don’t respond in kind. I’ma kick me some alien ass.”

Colton grinned.

The entire conversation brought the group to a new point in their friendship. They all now understood one another much better, bringing a sense of closeness. It lightened the mood, lowered their guards, and they were able to share some laughs.

When Colton and Tommy returned to their room a couple of hours later, they were surprised to find a note slipped under their door. Colton’s heart skipped a beat when he spotted Willick’s name on it:

Colton and Tommy,

I regret to bring up hurtful memories, but the man who killed your friend, Tarend Gull, his court date has been set. The four of you are requested to give a witness testimony at the trial. Your presence will be crucial to the sentencing process. Do not fear. As long as you stay to the truth, all shall be as it should. I will make a stop at the Dulver Facility shortly before to inform you of your travel plans and what to expect. I hope all is splendid in your studies.

Willick

When they finished reading, Colton put down the note and looked at Tommy.

“Well,” his friend said, “better late than never.”

22

Tensions started not only to build but overflow.

It had been six Vintaran weeks into their arrival at the Dulver Facility. Mix the complete frustration that still no Earthling had achieved wielding Solara with a growing feeling of being locked in a prison, and Colton felt it was justified.

Perhaps it’s me who needs to bring about a change, he wondered for the tenth time as he daydreamed through another one of what he considered Deen’s pointless exercises.

Deen tried everything short of holding them against their will with the power. After that first day, it became known no one in the facility was to use Solara in any such way on an Earthling. They were not to be left helpless.

Colton was appreciative, worrying that his planetmen would have already gone over the boiling point if it weren’t the case. But as he looked at Deen working with Becky, who only scowled back at the poor guy, he almost wished their instructor would try something like the first day. He was no closer to discovering if he had touched Solara then or on Earth. If I just wield, then possibly I’d know for sure if that’s what happened the night TJ died.

He shook his head, seeing the futility. It was equally as important his other planetmen learned to wield, and that lesson had only impacted Colton.

Becky sat in a chair, the scowl still on her face. But instead of looking at Deen with it, she faced the rest of the class, eyes closed. Deen stood behind her, hands held over her shoulders, almost as if he were about to massage her. A brown whirlwind of power circled her. It was his favorite technique that he would not accept didn’t work.

“Keep your eyes closed,” he said to her, “try to stay relaxed. Concentrate all of your will and focus on your left arm. Feel every muscle, bone, cell, and all the energy stored within. Focus on the heat there. If you concentrate enough, you should experience a tingling sensation.

“That is Solara residing inside you. Focus on that energy and will it with your mind into the cyclone. Picture yourself doing this. Almost as if the energy is your arm, and you are simply lifting it into my power.”

Becky’s closed eyes squeezed tight as she scrunched up her nose, causing wrinkles to form all over it. She was trying too hard, getting angry instead of calm, and failing miserably. After about a minute, Deen dropped his hands with a sigh as the whirlwind disappeared. Becky glared back at him as if it was his fault before strolling over to sit with Kyla and Molly.

Colton frowned when he found out they were friends. According to Kyla, Becky was strong-willed and funny. To him, she was the short, stout, red-headed version of the devil.

“She wouldn’t be so bad if she just stopped being miserable all the time,” Ace mumbled.

“She’s not a good person to experiment that technique with,” Tommy stated.

Colton felt for Deen as he walked back to his desk, dejected. Wanting to stick up for their instructor, he said, “He probably figures if he succeeds with her, he can with anyone.”

Morris snorted. “He’s tried that with two-thirds of the class, including myself and Tommy. Besides, at this point, he should go for whoever is best for whatever the technique is. We need someone wielding, dammit.”

Tommy shook his head. “Tell me about it. I am so sick of the condescension from some of the other instructors. Or the way the guards talk to us like we’re dumb. Some expressed doubts we’ll ever wield right in front of me. And apparently, one called us ‘truly forsaken’ the other day.”

“Dickheads,” Morris grumbled.

Colton wanted to bang his head on the table. The disdain he and his fellow kind felt was only magnified by the continued protests against them, further pressuring their removal from the planet. Not to mention the scopes continued to shut off during specific news reports. And for him and his hometown buddies, there was the extra burden of holding back the truth of the prophecy, especially from the friends they had made.

In his view, every day that the Throne failed to offer any information or explanation for the future displayed complete negligence on their behalf. The tiny bridge they built with the Earthlings was up in flames, ready to cave in at any moment. If something didn’t change soon, he feared his fellow kind would go up with that bridge.

The door burst open, and Allandra glided in. She strolled over to Deen, slumped in his chair. “By the prophet’s boy, you look like a Lizellian woman just stood you up on your wedding day.”

Deen stayed slumped, but his eyes looked up at her. “It is the same as my writing. I have always understood people. I should be good at this. I should know how to pull it out of them. But no, once again, I fail.”

Allandra’s scowl came close to matching Becky’s. “You are moping worse than my great-great-granddaughter as of late. Get off your rear, boy. It has not been you. No one was having success.”

One of Deen’s eyebrows arched up. “What is it, Allandra? This blunt side of you only comes out when”—his other eyebrow shot up—“you said no one was having success?”

The smile again lit Allandra’s face. “We have been going about this process wrong, treating them as if they are the same as us. But as much as I hope we can become alike in the future, right now, we are not.”

Deen stood up and asked, “Did it happen?”

She spun towards him and clapped her hands together before shouting, “Yes!”

Her words sent a grin across Deen’s face, and he jumped the table and embraced her in a friendly hug.

Allandra turned back to the class after he let her go. Everyone, tense and unmoving, thought they understood what was happening, but they held their breath.

She frowned. “What in the name of Vintara is wrong with you Earthlings? I did not envision you all being so quiet the day your first planetman wielded Solara.”

The entire class jumped in the air and erupted in cheers of glee. Colton grabbed Tommy, who was closest to him and hugged the hell out of his friend. With a joyful laugh, he high-fived Ace and Morris.

Allandra wasn’t being her refined self, and he loved her for it. “And more than one,” she added over the raucous joy of the group.

Colton looked towards Kyla, waited to catch her eye, and shared a friendly smile before she winked. Another laugh escaped his throat as he walked over and hugged her and Molly. And because he was so happy, he even lifted Becky from her feet in a giant embrace, making her gasp in surprise. When he put her down, Demarcus strolled over and shook hands with him as well.

He looked around, and the tension slipped away from his body. Like him, people embraced across the room. It was a joyous moment they Earthlings needed.

The celebration continued for a few minutes before Allandra quieted them down with a wave of her hands. “We have been trying to find the power in you. We have attempted to delve into your body and mind to figure out how to bring Solara forth. But this was the wrong approach. Having never wielded through adulthood, that has clearly built a block hiding your Solara from us. So how do we get around that?

“It is simple. We relate to your shorter, fast-paced lifestyles. You Earthlings move things along more swiftly than we do. You have to, given your lifespans are about half of ours. And because of that, you are forced to become accustomed to and adapt to your situations as you go. You, for the majority, learn better by doing and interacting as opposed to sitting back and being repeatedly told or shown something.

“We believe that is the key to breaking through your blocks. You need to be thrust into a situation forcing you to interact with some everyday Solara use. Hopefully, by doing so, your mind and bodies push the block aside and expose your power to the universe.”

A few in the room shared uneasy looks.

Allandra noticed them. “Do not fear. You will not be in any danger. Right now, other ideas are being constructed in retrospect to this approach, but only one has worked. And only for some, not all. We also cannot attempt it here at the Dulver Facility until tomorrow. Some preparations need to be made.”

Groans coursed throughout the classroom.

“What will we be doing?” Emily asked.

“A simple exercise, enabling you to interact with the everyday uses of Solara on a wider and more diverse spectrum than any single instructor could offer.” Allandra gave Deen a meaningful look.

He smiled, seemingly out of his dour state.

“I do not want to spoil the surprise,” she continued. “I am hoping the unexpectedness can help trigger the reaction we desire. Meet in the courtyard tomorrow for this class. Mine will be canceled as I shall assist with the efforts here. It depends on your personality, but while it might be frustrating and...childish, I believe most of you will enjoy the experience.”

Allandra clapped her hands. “It is an exciting thing. By this time tomorrow, many of you Earthlings shall become wielders.”

23

Standing in the courtyard, the buzz of excitement in the air was enough to push away the gloom that the purple clouds usually brought forth amongst the Earthlings. As Tommy said one morning, “Makes you appreciate the beauty of Earth.”

Having to wait a day for the exercise was almost unbearable. While it helped the anticipation and excitement grow within everyone, the unknown also drove them insane. They all stood around, anxiously tapping their feet on the soil beneath them.

Colton glanced over at Deen. Their instructor sat on the fountain reading a book, ignoring them all. However, he couldn’t help but notice that Deen’s eyes kept peering over the top. Being a loudmouth, the man was probably trying to prevent himself from spilling anything in advance.

Finally, after what seemed like another five-minute eternity, Allandra came strolling into the courtyard. She walked over to Deen, who set down his book and showed the big smile he had been hiding behind it.

She motioned to him and said, “This is your class.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began while standing up. “The moment is upon us. I understand you all are a little nervous and unsure of what will happen here, so I will give the only advice I can. Relax, be yourselves, and try to have fun.”

He continued to grin but said no more.

“That’s it?” Ace asked.

“That is it,” Deen answered.

“Well, what are we doing?” Kyla questioned.

Deen’s smile intensified. “One of my favorites, enjoying playtime.”

Allandra motioned to the door, yelling, “Let them in.”

Colton wasn’t sure what he expected. Thoughts of strange creatures and robots floated through his mind, or perhaps a large group of instructors. What he didn’t expect, however, was about one hundred of what he would guess were six-year-olds to come pouring out of the doors and into the yard. They were all dressed in identical green uniforms but had different colored little capes hanging around their shoulders.

He barked out a small laugh. They were adorable.

The kids charged straight ahead, laughing and yelling all the while. When they reached Colton, it felt like he was standing in waist-deep water, trying to hold his balance as a wave passed. He held, but others weren’t so fortunate. Becky fell immediately down. The poor thing was barely taller than the kids. Eric also went down, but he did so with a welcoming smile. He stood back up laughing.

“Oh my.” Colton was close enough to Allandra to hear her gasp. “We should have done this in a more orderly structure.”

He felt a tug on each of his arms and looked down to see two little girls smiling up at him.

He grinned back. “Hey there, ladies.”

They giggled and continued staring before one said, “You are dressed funny.”

Colton laughed. “Yeah, fashion was never my specialty.”

Allandra’s raised voice, now on the other side of the fountain as the mayhem had spread, made Colton glance up from the girls. “Interact with them. Talk to them, play with them. Pretend like you are a child again.”

“Can they wield Solara?” Ace asked, standing not far from Colton and shooting uncertain glances at the children.

The girl who told Colton he looked funny responded, “Of course, silly. We are not babies.” She snapped her hand forward, and a little blue light whipped towards Ace.

It hit him in the right shoulder, causing him to shrug back. He scratched the spot it hit and complained, “Ah, it tickles.”

A group of three little girls close by giggled and sent their own lights at him.

Ace twisted and yelped, grabbing each spot as they hit. He looked at Colton with wide eyes and shrieked, “They’re crazy.”

Tommy came bustling through the crowd, a small boy on his shoulders. “Let’s get the silly one,” he roared.

Multiple giggles sounded in response, and Ace made a startled sound before dashing away. Tommy and a bunch of the little ones chased after him.

Colton laughed again and turned, deciding he should do his own interacting. He tapped the shoulders of two young boys with ruffled brown hair and asked, “Hey, you kids know how to play Tag?”

They looked at him, confused. He explained it to them.

“Sounds like ‘Fling-and-Run,’” one boy with a dark blue cape responded. “Whoever is ‘it’ has to hit another with one of their sparks, and then that person is ‘it.’”

“By sparks, you mean Solara?” Colton asked.

“He means sparks,” the other boy with a brown cape clarified.

Colton thought he understood. “Well, I don’t know how to make my own sparks. So is it okay if I tag you with my hand?”

The boys looked at one another questioningly before shrugging and nodding.

Colton tagged one on the back to get the point across and said, “You’re ‘it’.”

He took off, trying to zigzag the best he could through the crowd without taking out any of the little guys and gals. He only lasted about ten seconds before the first cold chill hit him square in the back left shoulder, and the boy he had tagged yelled, “You are ‘it’.”

Colton didn’t do nearly as well as he expected. It was tough for him to maneuver through the crowd to tag them. Match that with both kids not having all that bad of aim with their Solara, and the result was him being ‘it’ most of the time.

He wasn’t sure what he should look for, but about halfway through the game, he tried. He focused on feeling for any sign of change, any different sense or emotion coursing through his body. But all he noticed was that the kids were adorable. And as for his emotions, nothing more than his competitive nature took over, him wanting to catch the kids so that he wasn’t ‘it.’

Once they were all out of breath and called a halt to the game, he looked up and found Kyla standing beside him. With a sly smile, she remarked, “I saw you getting your ass kicked by those little boys.”

Colton mimicked an abashed expression. “Yeah, they’re really good.”

They both looked away when Morris yelled out from the crowd. He was rolling around by a bench, five little guys and gals standing over him, laughing with joy. They repeatedly opened and closed their hands in the air over his body, and it was evident that whatever they were doing tickled him.

“Stop!” he screamed, dirt evident in his dark hair and beard. “Stop it! Please! For the—come on! You little...little shits!”

The children laughed hysterically at each of Morris’s spurts. But suddenly, they fell down, stopped laughing, and many other eyes in the courtyard drew to the scene.

Something had happened. Morris lay on his back with his hand in the air, no longer gasping for breath. Hanging over and around him was a translucent bluish barrier that surrounded his body to the ground. The children were all down on their butts, looking stunned as if an invisible force had knocked them over.

Morris took a second to gain his breath, and once he did, he looked ready to strangle someone. But that look dissipated when his sight moved to his hand and the barrier. All around him was shocked silence as he said, “I can feel it.”

Allandra appeared out of nowhere. “Congratulations, Charles. You are wielding Solara.”

A cheer erupted that shamed the one from the previous day. Colton screamed at the top of his lungs. Not only the first of their group to wield but one of his closest friends to boot.

All the attention made Morris appear bashful, and the barrier vanished.

“Can you still sense it there?” Deen asked, emerging from the crowd.

Morris scrunched his face before looking at his hands. A second passed, and he answered with wide eyes, “Yes.”

Allandra turned to the rest of the class and remarked, “Well, continue at it. Do not make him the only one.”

With that, everyone went back to playing and messing around with the Vintaran children. Only a few minutes after Morris, a second person did it, then a third, and like a domino effect, they kept going until the end of the class. It seemed that all they had needed was proof it was possible.

Colton spotted Molly after she had already wielded. She was playing a game with two girls and a boy. They all rolled their fingers in the air over a circle of rocks on the ground. In the circle, different colored lights created from their Solara zigzagged around. As the game continued, the lights got longer and longer. Once one hit into the tail-end of its own or another, it winked out. The point was to be the last one left. Molly’s blue hit the boy’s green, and hers winked out. She laughed in glee.

By the end, twelve in the group had wielded. Of Colton’s friends, there was Morris, Molly, and Tommy. Tommy had been in a circle with five little ones. They were all passing around a sphere of Solara that had died out the first ten times it reached him. But on the eleventh, it just came to him, and he managed to pass it along.

Colton was happy for his friends and his people. They had turned that much-needed corner. But he hadn’t been able to wield. And while knowing it was foolish to be bothered by the notion, he couldn’t help it. He soon found himself spiraling down a rabbit hole of negative thoughts.

24

Colton found himself back in the courtyard that night, pacing alone in the dark. Everything was quiet save for the trickle of water from the fountain he repeatedly circled and a few noises squeezing through the facility's windows.

The door ahead of him opened, and a figure walked through, illuminated at first but then swallowed by the darkness. Colton heard the footsteps come closer, and about twenty feet away, he made out the tall shadow with that goofy stride tall people sometimes have. It was Tommy.

“Thought I might find you out here,” his friend said while taking a seat on the side of the fountain.

“What gave it away?”

Like Earth, Vintara only had one moon. It looked about triple the size in the sky and shined down on the planet in a purple-colored light.

That light, reflecting off the water, made Tommy’s amber eyes glow. “I could tell something was wrong with you at dinner. I figured you got up to do what you always do when dwelling on a problem. You disappear to a quiet secluded spot and you pace around.”

“Pacing makes my brain work better.”

Tommy grunted. “This is about you not wielding, right? Do you realize more than three-quarters of this place still hasn’t? Are you that upset you weren’t one of the first?”

Colton shook his head and stopped pacing. “That’s not exactly the whole thing.” It had set his thoughts off, but it opened the door to deeper and darker ones he had been trying to ignore.

Tommy’s dark eyebrows arched up.

“What if Willick’s right, Tom? What if I am the Son of the Prophets? The person meant to save everything. Have you truly mulled that over?” 

Colton hadn’t raised his voice, but Tommy still looked from side to side, checking the shadows in the yard and windows on the walls. “I haven’t forgotten,” he replied.

“I don’t know a damn thing about leading anything anywhere.” That time Colton had raised his voice. “I know nothing about politics. I have no clue how to lead men or armies. I have zero skill fighting, and I can’t even fathom how these people fight, considering I can’t wield Solara.

“How can I understand what I must do to lead these people to...whatever I will lead them to? I don’t even fully understand their cause. All I know is that those connected to the Throne are less of assholes than those with the Flame.”

Tommy took advantage of Colton taking a breath. “Colt, first off, I’d be more worried about if Willick is wrong. If he’s wrong, then we’re really screwed.”

Colton had found himself at times wishing Willick was wrong. But then he considered the alternative, and it made him shudder. Perhaps what he didn’t want to admit was that he couldn’t see how between The Heart and himself, it could be him.

“And as for leading anything,” Tommy continued, “you don’t have to worry about that right now. Get Solara down first.” A smile lit his face, and he glanced down as some shadowy sparks popped between his fingers. “It’s great.”

He looked back at Colton. “Brother, you’re not alone. I don’t know what this whole thing will entail, either. But what I can tell you is I’m right there at your side for it. I can vouch the same for Ace and Morris. And something tells me once we’re through with this training stuff, I don’t see Willick having us go our own way on this. He’ll have our backs as well.”

Colton finally sat down. “I guess I keep thinking: what happened on Earth, on the Alfadar, in Deen’s class that first day; I’ve been expecting some big thing that made me stand out or something.”

Tommy’s eyes opened wide.

“I know that sounds bitter and arrogant,” Colton added. “And I understand I’m not supposed to stand out. But those other things at least had me differing from everyone else. It made me feel like there was actually something special about me that deserved to be The Son of the Prophets. It was giving me some confidence to believe in this whole mess.”

Tommy nodded. “I get it, Colt, I do. And it sucks no one has answers for you. But you haven’t even wielded yet. If you’re meant to be this person, it will be a process, one done a step at a time. Right now, the only advice I can give is to keep your focus on learning to wield. Worry about what comes next after that.” He put a hand on Colton’s shoulder. “I’m here with you to see the whole thing through, brother.”

That simple gesture reminded Colton why Tommy was his best friend. If Colton wanted anyone at his side in times such as this, it was him.

“Thanks, buddy. I appreciate that more than I can say.”

“Good. Then I would appreciate it if we got out of this dreadful purple light. I never want to see purple again.”

25

Over the following week, different techniques were conceived and implemented, resulting in over half of the Earthlings residing at the Dulver Facility wielding Solara for the first time. There was clearly a considerable effect from the positivity sprouting with each new wielding, one breaking down the blocks.

Even though Colton had yet to wield, he tried to stay positive after his conversation with Tommy. And he was attempting to keep everyone around him optimistic, which was easier said than done.

“She’s crazy, Colt.” Ace had dark lines under his hazel eyes and a scowl on his face. The lack of sleep he discussed was evident. “We kiss, and next thing I know, I’m hovering in the air.”

Apparently, since Emily started wielding Solara, having learned it during a healing exercise, things got strange for Ace.

“I don’t know if it’s on purpose. At first, it definitely wasn’t. Her emotions got the best of her, and she struggled to control it. But now that she understands what she’s doing, I think she’s wielding this crap for her own mischievous joy. And I can’t freaking wield myself, so there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.”

“Now, why would she do that?” Colton asked, trying not to laugh.

Ace shot an incredulous look back at him. “Why? She’s a woman, Colton. They get off on playing those types of sick games with guys like us.”

Colton’s smile slipped out that time. Ace had always liked to think that Colton was just like him. But when it came to women, he and Ace had differing mindsets.

Ace scrutinized Colton’s face before stating, “This isn’t funny.”

Colton smirked but kept his tone normal when he replied, “It kind of is.”

Ace shook his head, his finger-length dark brown hair seeming more of a mess than usual. “Besides, she’s getting mad at me. Ever since this started, we haven’t been reaching home plate. The woman’s barely got a hold of her Solara as it is, and it’s only worse when her emotions run high. She touches me with her hands, and it feels like someone’s zapping me with a taser. I don’t even want to imagine what would happen there, in that situation.”

“I see how that could be worrisome,” Colton agreed.

Ace again shook his head. “Aye yai yai, Colt. I’ve been meaning to break the whole thing off anyway. It’s getting too relationship-y. I’m just afraid now of what she’ll do to me.”

Colton looked sideways at his friend and asked, “Relationship-y?”

Ace eyed daggers back at him before looking away and responding, “Shut up.”

He padded Ace on the back. “I’m not sure what to tell you, buddy. I never let it get that far if I don’t intend to date a woman. My advice is to be honest and say you’re not looking for a relationship, but as late as it is, you might be better off trusting your judgment here. And as for Solara, I don’t think you have to worry about being defenseless much longer. The rate we’re going, it shouldn’t be more than a few days before everyone in this facility has wielded.”

“Easy for you to say,” Ace grumbled. “It’s already been two sleepless nights in a row while she keeps me up. I can’t handle a couple more. I swear, man, tell people they can’t have something, and it only makes them want it that much more.”

“You could not let her sleep in your room,” Colton noted. He had a thought and furrowed his brow. “And where has Morris been sleeping during all this?”

Ace shrugged. “He slept in the lounge the first night, and Emily offered her room last night.” He smirked with half of his mouth. “I see it now. Emily’s roommate uncomfortable, there being ten minutes of awkward silence as they both lay there with their eyes open, and Morris finally working up the courage to ask, ‘So um, where you from?’”

Colton laughed, unable to help it.

Suddenly an arm locked tight around one of his, and a small framed body pressed between him and Ace. He looked down at Kyla’s head of dark blond hair.

“How are my two fellow non-wielding stud muffins doing today?” she asked.

Ace shot her a petulant look.

Colton rolled his eyes at his friend and replied, “Oh, we’re just peachy. Ace especially.”

Kyla was the only woman left in their group of friends not to wield. And while she wasn’t an overly competitive person, he could tell that she didn’t like being last; it made her uncomfortable.

He squeezed her arm and added, “As I was telling our celibate friend over here, a couple more days and these discussions should be over. We’ll all have wielded.”

Ace scowled at Colton and looked away from the both of them. Kyla glanced back and forth between the two, appearing amused and curious.

They reached the café and Ace disentangled himself from Kyla’s other arm. “Excuse me. I’m going to go find Morris. I’ll appreciate his boring and serious personality much more at the moment.” He walked into the crowd lining up to eat breakfast.

Kyla’s blue-green eyes looked back up at Colton. “What was that about?”

He shook his head. “Don’t ask.”

There were a couple of different breakfast lines. Colton looked through the crowd to see which seemed the shortest.

She squeezed his hand. “Do you really think we’ll wield in the next couple of days?”

He looked back down at her. All pretense was gone from her eyes, with real worry etched across her face. In a comforting tone, he responded, “Of course, Kyla. More of us do it every day. It’s only a matter of time.”

She frowned. “I really thought I would when those dancers came to the facility. I had so much fun gliding in circles while their self-wielded clouds of colors fanned out around all of us. The dance was like a magnificent light show.”

Colton smiled. It had been a fun exercise.

“I thought that would pull the power out of me for sure,” she continued. “But I didn’t get my own wispy cloud floating behind me like other Earthlings. That was so disappointing. What if we’re one of the ones who can’t wield, ever? I understand they say it’s rare, but it happens.”

He grabbed her hand, now holding on with both. “Hey, only a little more than half of this place has wielded. It’s not desperation time yet. Give it a couple more days. We’ll wield, don’t worry.”

“How do you know?” She was showing him a vulnerable side he had yet to see. It brought on a new level of closeness.

“Because I do. I feel it in my gut. We are both going to wield, I’m sure of it.”

She closed her eyes, took a long breath, and smiled at him. “I love how you’ve been so positive. It’s the only thing keeping me from breaking down sometimes.”

It was Colton’s turn to grin. Even though he had his own doubts, that was his aim for others, and he felt glad to see it working, especially with Kyla. “I try to stay an optimistic person. It makes life an easier thing to deal with.”

Kyla leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re here, Colton. I find being around a person like you makes life easier to deal with.”

When she pulled away, the heat of her lips still radiated on his face. “Glad I can help,” he responded.

They stared at one another for a silent moment before his stomach grumbled loudly enough for both of them to hear.

“Now can we eat, please?” he asked with a smile.

She rolled her eyes before grabbing his hand and leading him toward a corner line.

The café was packed. Most mornings, people would take their breakfast to their rooms, but since the wielding craze began, many preferred to stay around large groups of others, all practicing and experimenting together. A cluster of guys sat at a table Colton and Kyla passed. He had no idea what they were doing, but their hands were linked, mouths pinched tight, and eyes all focused on a glass in the center of them. They sat silently, in pure concentration.

He reached the end of the line with Kyla.

“Wonder what they have today,” she asked while trying to stand on the tips of her toes and eye the choices over the crowd.

Colton craned his neck to better see but all he made out were the trays stacked at the corner of the counter and a bored-looking guard leaning on the wall next to them. “Can’t tell, hold my spot and I’ll go check.”

As he stepped out of the line, he became distracted by a commotion behind him.

“We did it!” someone yelled.

He turned around and noticed the table with the cluster of guys had drawn attention. Hands still linked, they remained focused on the cup in the center, which now had a bright orange flame burning inside of it.

“Give me control,” a blond man at the table insisted.

Without taking his eye off the flame, another of the guys with a bushy mustache responded, “No. Don’t break the link. I don’t want to lose it.”

A body bumped Colton’s shoulder, walking by in a rush, and he shifted to see it was the guard.

When past him, the guard shouted, “Hey, you over there, stop that.”

None of the guys paid him any heed. They were too focused on their flame.

“Let me see if I can make it any larger,” Blondie insisted. The flame moved so that it hovered half an inch out of the cup before it dropped back down.

“No,” Mustache screeched. “If anyone takes it, it should be me. It was my idea to do this.” Sweat ran down each of their foreheads. Clearly, maintaining the flame was a struggle even for the six together.

“You can seriously hurt yourselves,” the guard shouted, almost reaching them. “You are not even properly linked. Let it go.”

The two main quibblers took their eyes off the flame to shoot one another a heated stare. The instant they did, the flame expanded to twice its size and Colton’s instinct told him something bad was about to happen.

The guard raised his hand, and just as it seemed like the flame would explode, it winked out of existence, and a gust of energy blew the six guys toppling backward in their chairs.

Blondie and Mustache immediately stood up and stared at the glass rolling on the table with a black streak along its rim. They turned their glares on the guard. Mustache pointed at him and accused, “He wielded Solara at us. He’s not supposed to do that.”

“He made our flame blow up in our faces,” Blondie added.

Colton shook his head and mumbled, “Idiots.”

The guard was out of breath. “I did not make it explode,” he panted. “I only cut your link holding the flame together. It was too feeble; you were about to lose it. You could have injured yourselves.”

“I don’t believe you,” Blondie responded with anger in his voice. “We had perfect control before you got involved, and only then did the whole thing blow.”

The guard frowned. “Earthling, if that flame had truly exploded in your face, you would not be talking now. I saw it growing, and the bigger the flame, the more dangerous, especially under such a lack of control. I snuffed it out, trying to help you, not hurt you.”

“You’re a liar,” Mustache roared. “You hate us. Despise us. You all do.”

Colton was taken aback. Where did that come from?

An understanding came over the guard’s face. “My friend, you need to calm yourself. When I cut your link, you all lost control of the power. You seemed angry when you stood up. If you regained control in that state, your anger is overwhelming you now.”

Neither Blondie nor Mustache spoke for a second, seeming to consider his words. But Blondie ruined that when he roared, “I am mad, but not because of that. I’m mad because you wielded Solara against us. How do I know that wasn’t a deliberate attack?”

More people filed closer. Most there hadn’t seen what happened and just listened to the argument. Colton noticed that many of the ones who arrived later, whose faces they directed the guard’s way, weren’t all that friendly.

The guard seemed to realize too. He put his hands in the air and backed up. “Now, none of that. I told you I was trying to help.”

“Help, help, help,” Mustache mocked. “All you people out here say you’re going to help. But all you really do is leave us clueless about everything and treat us like children.”

Murmurs of agreement ran through the crowd.

The guard backed up into a group that had gathered behind him. He had nowhere to go.

Mustache mixed into the crowd around him, pure anger in his eyes. “Do you think we don’t hear you condescend us? Do you think we don’t know that right now, there are people outside the gates of this facility who hate us and want us sent home?”

His words were having an effect. Many in his vicinity looked like someone had just insulted their mother. An uneasy chill ran down Colton’s spine as he saw sparks dancing on some of their fingertips. It seemed half the people there had taken control of their power during a fit of rage.

He was about to speak out in the guard’s defense when the man did one of the worst things possible. The guard threw his hands over his head, and a bluish dome formed and enveloped his entire body.

Wielding opened the floodgates. The Earthlings, in their heated states, reacted because they didn’t understand what the guard was doing. Many threw their hands out towards the man, balls of color releasing and flying at him. The guard’s blue dome wavered as each one hit. He crouched down, looking strained.

Colton tried to yell for them to stop, but there was too much noise in the area. Some people yelled in confusion, not understanding what was happening. Others yelled as they flung their hands out at the man. Colton figured others were screaming like him, trying to stop the whole thing.

A second assault took the guard, the dome wavered, and he lost his balance, falling to his knees.

Colton worried about what would happen if that dome faltered completely. He tried pushing through the crowd to reach the man, thinking the people might stop if he got in their line of fire. But the group was too thick.

The guard fell on his side from a third attack, and the dome again wavered, this time not returning to its normal state. It held but was unnervingly sheer in form, a much paler shade than initially.

Colton started to panic. The guard did nothing wrong. He had saved those morons and was about to get hurt because of it. He was about to receive the brunt of the wrath created by others. It was a horrible wrong that would only worsen the view of the Earthlings in the eyes of their critics and perhaps their supporters too.

Panic turned into frustration. Frustration at being ignorant and scared, frustration at feeling helpless, and it all being so unfair. Everything seemed to boil up in him. Everything over the last couple of months hit its max capacity. And that’s when he sensed it.

Like molten lava spinning in the center of a planet, he felt like he had a small circle of flame twirling in the pit of his stomach. Every nerve ending tingled throughout him, like a full-bodied form of pins and needles. Only instead of the tingling being uncomfortable, it seemed natural and right. He sensed not only his power deep inside of him but the power radiating off the people and objects to all sides. Gazing around, he met the eyes of those closest to him.

Colton knew a woman staring wide-eyed at the scene had yet to wield Solara. While he sensed a dim power humming deep inside her, it was nothing compared to the man to her left. He had a look of rage in his eyes, which seemed electrified behind thin brown wisps casting out thinner brown sparks. And the force of energy flinging from the man’s hands was ten times more powerful than the slight hum of the girl’s power.

Colton even sensed a tiny spark of energy in a chair knocked down beside him. When he looked down at it, he noticed his hands bathed in a greenish flame. He didn’t understand what he did, but he felt the flame’s energy, the same warm, tingling sensation coursing through and enveloping his fingertips.

He looked back at the chair. Sensing that tiny stagnant energy, he linked it in his mind to the power flowing between his fingers, and the chair became bathed in a greenish hue. He stared at it in astonishment, knowing he had just wielded Solara purposefully for the first time. And by doing so, he had a gut feeling that he had unknowingly done it before.

His attention became snagged by the greatest energy flow in the room, where the guard cowered on the ground. Colton no longer felt helpless, but that frustration was damn well still present. Taking a step forward to put the end he knew he could to the whole mess, a hand wrapped in its own energy grabbed and held him back.

He glared down to see Kyla’s eyes, almost alive in their own greenish-blue fire, staring up at him. Her power coursed through her alongside him. Her touch left his hand tingling ablaze.

She’s also wielding!

She nodded, and he realized her touch also left a different sensation. It formed a mix, or link, to their two powers. Deen had said Solara was like another sense; the body would know how to naturally react in certain circumstances. Kyla understood Colton, and he wondered if the link was her body responding to assist him.

He looked back at the guard, now curled up on the floor. He took a step forward and lifted the hand that held Kyla’s. A green dome, more prominent, and Colton knew stronger than the blue original, went up around the guard, protecting him. Like a light poke to his back, Colton felt the attackers’ feeble energies smacking and bouncing off his shield. He let it go on for a few seconds before the guard’s blue dome winked out of existence, and the man’s body sagged limp in exhaustion.

“Stop!” Colton roared.

That time, people heard.

Many angry, knowing eyes turned to him. Those eyes glowed with their own powers, and he understood that those blazes must only be seen once one can wield. A few truly had lost complete control of their emotions as they sent their energies directed at him.

With a quick thought, he formed a second shield around himself and Kyla. Being packed in the throng, he was surprised by the perfection of it, touching no one but the two of them.

None of the energies hit either of them. They came on for ten seconds, tiny little prods weighing on him before stopping. People realized what they were doing and snapped out of it.

Colton waited a minute for everyone’s anger to abate before he growled, “One of the first rules we were taught: get control of your emotions before you wield.”

Only silence answered him.

“That guard did nothing wrong.” He pointed to Blondie and Mustache. “You two idiots were going to kill yourselves. He really was trying to help you morons.”

Both stepped forward to say something, but Colton didn’t give them a chance. “No. You fools are finished talking. You let your anger take over, which could have caused serious damage.” He looked at the passed-out guard and added in a lower voice, “It might have.”

A second guard pressed through the crowd, and she knelt next to the unconscious one.

Colton turned and addressed everyone around him. “We all resent the way we’re looked at out here. I’ve been as frustrated as the rest of you. But after this, I can almost see what some of them worry about. We’re not learning to use a toy to have fun with. We’re learning to use a power to help defend ourselves in a war that is coming. If we can’t take control of that power and let it become more of a threat to ourselves than our enemies, what the hell good are we? Then we actually will be just a curse to them.”

The moment he finished speaking, another voice rose out. “Mr. Samson, perhaps you need to follow your own advice and control your emotions.”

Colton hadn’t seen Allandra emerge through the crowd until she spoke. He also hadn’t realized that his dome over the injured man prevented the newly arrived guard from helping him. Nor could he tell how his shield had pressed outward from him and Kyla, pushing people further away from them. And when realizing the angry fervor that had been behind his voice, his frustration changed into embarrassment. The power fled from his control, and both shields winked out.

Back to his normal state, only a fraction of that circle’s energy burned in the center of his stomach. But he knew he could now call forth Solara when wanted. And Allandra was right: he would only do it once he had control of himself.

Allandra walked forward and said only loud enough for him and Kyla to hear, “Go in the hall and breathe easy, you two. I will deal with this here. I am the head of this facility, after all.” She rushed over to the unconscious guard.

Colton and Kyla exited the café and walked down the hall. When he realized they were still holding hands, he moved to let go, but she held on. He stopped to look down at her.

She turned a big smile back up at him, highlighting her dimples and the pure beauty of her face. “We wielded!” she yelled in delight before leaping into his arms, wrapping her limbs around him, and bringing her mouth down for their first kiss.

26

“I want you to close your eyes and view yourself as holding the pencil.” Deen worked away at a lesson. “Now, envision the paper sitting on the desk before you. Link your hold on the pencil’s energy in your mind with the thought of you writing...ah, Henry, no. Do not actually pick the pencil up.”

Deen wanted them to get better acquainted with intermixing their power with everyday uses and objects. He figured a good starting point was for them to use their Solara with a pencil to write their names on pieces of paper. They had to do so without physically holding the utensil in their hand.

Colton managed to get his down, but nowhere close to being in a straight line. ‘Colt’ descended diagonally downwards; the ‘on’ to finish his first name was straight but about an inch below the o in Colt. And Samson was as far to the right of the paper as possible, rising diagonally upward.

He sensed the energies of the pencil and paper in his mind’s eye. So it wasn’t hard to link the two and wield the utensil to write his name, based on the image he pictured in his head of him doing it by hand. It even came out in his handwriting. But the concentration required to hold the link and wield a proper portrayal of his image was too much for him to make it perfect.

“Great job, Tommy,” Deen praised when he walked by the two of them. “And good, Colton, but you need more focus. Keep your concentration on the activity and the activity alone.”

Colton frowned at him before looking down at Tommy’s perfectly written name and scowling even harder. Tommy had always picked up on everything immediately. Wielding Solara was no different. He should be The Son of the Prophets, Colton thought.

They only had a month left of their classes before they would ship to what the Earthlings were calling “boot camp.” He worried what he had learned over the past few weeks wasn’t enough.

After the incident with the guard in the café, a strict and heated side of Allandra came out. Colton respected the way she handled the situation. They didn’t double or triple the number of guards like he feared they would. Allandra stated, “Without the proper guidance, you all are no better than children being handed a dangerous object, one that can hurt yourselves and those around you. Because of that, I am establishing a reasonable rule: you are not to attempt practicing any wielding outside of a classroom before being permitted by an instructor first.”

She had a no-tolerance policy. Anyone who broke the rule would be sent home. And it was a great plan because no one desired to leave after wielding for the first time.

Some lessons comprised picking objects up with the power and moving them around. Colton found that easy, being great at sensing the energies of the different things and pulling them towards him or towards another energy force. He lifted Deen’s desk the first day they tried, a feat no one else in the class could manage. Deen had seemed surprised and thrilled.

Colton was also successful in lessons that exerted his will. Deen explained while the body and mind worked Solara, the hands were the release or escaping point. That is why many Earthlings, unable to maintain and hold in all their power, had different color sparks or flames emitting around their fingertips. And an interesting side note was that they came to find the color they cast matched the color of their own eyes.

But Deen taught them to control that release, and Colton immediately picked up on it. Along with holding back the sparks from his fingers whenever he chose, he could now also mold his greenish flame of energy into a basketball-sized circle twice as big as anything anyone else produced forth. Deen had warned him if he hit someone unprotected with that ball, they would tail-spin end over end across the room. Colton wielded it cautiously.

Other lessons, like the one he sat in, hadn’t come so easily.

“It’s the healing lesson all over again,” Colton grumbled.

Tommy chuckled. “You couldn’t recognize the energy loss on Deen’s cut that day because it was so minuscule. If you need to perform serious healing in the future, I doubt that will be a problem. Once I located it, transferring my own energy was simple.”

Colton frowned. “Easy for you to say, Mr. Perfect.”

Tommy rolled his eyes. “Hey, we both sucked at creating images from our minds for others to see. Like Deen’s show of darkness and stars that first day.”

That was the truth. Colton had failed miserably in that regard. He had attempted to bring forward the image of the trees and wilderness around his home, but as much as he believed he saw it in his mind, he couldn’t hold the picture while trying to weave it together from his power. He had probably tried too complex of a design, as most capable of the task wielded forth small images such as flowers.

“Okay, everyone,” Deen said from the front of the room. “That is it for today. I will see you tomorrow.”

Colton stood and nodded to Tommy, who waved goodbye. He walked over to a grinning Kyla.

“You ready to make this work,” she said.

He smiled. “You know it. Let’s head to the courtyard.”

As they made their way, Colton found himself, not for the first time, questioning where he and Kyla were heading. Considering the universe-saving task people expected him to achieve, he worried that putting part of his focus on an intimate relationship was irresponsible.

Was he setting himself up for problems to come? Especially since sharing the same bed was leading more and more to them crossing that final barrier. Possibly, he knew that. But he liked her a lot, and her company helped to keep him positive and sane. He would enjoy it while it lasted.

They entered the courtyard and sat on an empty bench near the fountain. It was a little more crowded than usual. Some classes weren’t meeting as often, so they had more time to practice some allowed wielding. That is what many people were doing out in the dreary purple sky. And that was what Colton and Kyla had planned.

As they sat, she grabbed his hand and turned towards him, crossing her legs on the bench. He instantly sensed the power radiating from her, its essence much greater than most of the others in the yard. He cleared his head as best he could and brought his forth, snatching it with his mind from the pit of his stomach to blossom around him.

When their hands met, Colton felt her power flow into him, like warm fluid rushing through his veins. He sensed her intelligence, strong will, and protectiveness over those she loved. Most of all, though, he perceived the beauty residing within her. Like a flower, it showed in her appearance, but the roots of it resonated deep.

As he took it in, the two separate entities of their Solara coursed against each other before he gave his will a little nudge her way, and the powers intermixed to become one.

After the incident in the café, when they had linked off of pure instinct, they asked Deen about it. He answered that Solara was the power of the stars, all one huge interlinked pool of energy. Some may take or have a more powerful form of it, but according to him, it all came from the same source and therefore linked together naturally and easily.

However, only one person could control the enhancement that resulted from the combination. It was Kyla’s turn.

“Don’t fidget,” she scolded, slapping Colton’s wrist. They weren’t required to hold hands to maintain the link, but she always liked to.

The two of them had worked on the same project for three days. Kyla was only mediocre at raising a defensive dome like Colton had when they first wielded in the café. Therefore she obsessed over practicing the shield with the help of Colton, who seemed to have a great knack for it.

They became so strong and skillful at creating one that the previous day when standing in the dome they constructed around them, they realized they could barely see through to the other side. The surge of green energy Colton dispersed was too dense. Ace and Morris linked together and threw all they had at it, but nothing touched Colton or Kyla. She had found it a huge accomplishment.

But like everything they tried, she wanted to find and attempt all uses of every skill and perfect them. That is why she sought him out in the lounge later that night and told him they would wield a shield dome around them, blocking their view entirely from inside and out. And as he had with all other things she asked of him, Colton agreed to try it. He loved that she was thorough, wanting to prepare as much as possible for the unknowable situation they were all heading into.

Once he stopped moving, the green/blue mix of her standard wielding color went up, covering the two of them and the bench. “This will be a tight fit if we’re going to close all the gaps,” she said.

“Don’t tempt me with a good time,” Colton joked, shooting her a sly smile. As thorough as she was, she hated getting sidetracked, and he enjoyed teasing her with that fact.

She glanced up at him with one arched eyebrow, and he almost gasped as he did every time they wielded together. Her eyes looked ablaze. Her cyan-like energy swirled throughout them, and being surrounded by the same-colored dome only added to the effect.

In response, he poured more energy over to her, sending most of his will her way. Her body stiffened with the increased power, but after a quick moment, she had it under control and loosened back up.

Once she maintained the passing of his power to her, he watched as she went to work. She erected a dome close to what they had made the day before. But instead of focusing more on the strength and stability as he had, she tightened it up and concentrated on keeping it more closely knitted around them. He knew that by taking the same amount of energy required to construct the larger dome and wielding that amount into a smaller area, she hoped it would thicken the mass of the barrier, closing off all view of the inside.

He found her moving closer to him as she tightly closed the dome around them. Only when they pressed firmly against one another, and the edge was inches from them, did she stop.

For a moment, Colton thought it worked, feeling like he sat in a small room with bluish-green strobe lights. But he saw the frown on Kyla’s face and looked more closely to notice that scattered at a few random intervals throughout were tiny beads of white/purplish Vintaran light creeping through. The biggest being perhaps the size of a thumbnail.

“It’s so good,” Colton tried reassuring.

She scowled at him. “Shut up.”

He couldn’t help but smile when teasing, “That’s not very nice.”

He watched her move to find each hole as she chewed on her lower lip.

“I still have a little juice,” he said. “I’ll trickle it to you, and you trickle it to the holes.”

Her eyes shot to him. “I said hand it all over.”

It was his turn to arch an eyebrow. “You don’t own me, woman. Anyway, it’s been becoming easier for me to feel how much energy I need to exert to accomplish each task. I can adjust mid-process instead of going back and doing it later. It saves time.”

Her eyes narrowed, and a wicked smirk came upon her face. “Firstly, I can change the owning part. And second, well done, that’s good. Now can I have that trickle, please?”

He smiled, nodded, and sent it her way. He felt her take it, focus, and, almost like a puzzle piece, fit it into one of the gaps. They repeated that process perhaps a dozen times before she gave a last look around, found there were no more to fill, and shot him her largest, dimple-filled grin. It made Colton forget how little room there was, and his arms smacked against the barrier when he tried to hug her.

She laughed for a second before focusing on him. “We did it.”

“You did most of the work,” he said. “It’s impressive.”

The fire in her eyes seemed to burn so bright Colton saw nothing but green one minute, blue the next. How do they constantly change like that?

“No one can see us,” she whispered.

“No, they can’t,” he responded.

Moist lips found his, and he was swimming in a cyan-colored ocean. He closed his eyes, the colors at first swirling all around him. But as her tongue cascaded over and under his, he felt as if he dove deeper. And the faster she kissed, the more he dropped until he reached a depth where all color fled, and he had nothing but darkness ahead. He became lost in that beautiful darkness.

It continued for what seemed wonderful minutes before her mouth left his, and much-needed air flew into his lungs. He didn’t remember grabbing her head and back, but at some point had. He also didn’t notice her lose control of the dome, so he was surprised when he opened his eyes and found himself under the purple Vintaran skies again.

Colton blushed when he saw how many smirking faces stared their way. And then, he forgot what he was blushing about when he recognized one of those to be Willick Runebar’s.

27

The people not smirking at Colton and Kyla were looking questioningly at Willick, no doubt wondering who the man in the green cape was.

Willick’s gray-streaked beard wasn’t as neatly cropped as Colton remembered. But the confidence on his face and the knowledge in his brown eyes were evident as ever. This was an important person, and while those around didn’t necessarily know that, they sensed it.

He smirked at Colton when he said, “Dear sorry to intrude. I spotted Tommy in the halls, and he informed me I would find you here. When I walked out, I was not expecting to feel the expanse of energy the two of you gave off. Who is your lady friend?”

Kyla’s face was flushed. She blinked at Willick before shifting confused eyes to Colton.

He composed himself with a cough. “Willick, this is Kyla Green.”

Colton turned back to Kyla and paused. He hadn’t told her about Willick or any of his part in the night of, and days following, TJ’s death. The plan had been to avoid any talk that might lead to questions he wasn’t ready to answer or explain to her. “This is Willick. One of the Vintarans who assisted us and took away the man who killed TJ.”

She responded with a small, “Oh,” confusion still on her face.

Willick greeted, “It is very nice to meet you, Kyla. You should know I sense much Solara in you. You will be a powerful wielder one day.”

She looked Willick up and down before composing herself with a head shake. “Nice to meet you too. And thank you, that is exciting to hear.”

“Good. Well, I hate to be rude, but I hope you do not mind if I put a hold on your...practice and take Colton from you. I have a rather important topic to discuss with him.”

Kyla was no dummy. She stared at Willick with those calm eyes, but the unreadable expression she could always produce at will was gone. She turned her glance from Willick to Colton, doing nothing to hide the fact that she understood there was more to this man and wanted to know what it was.

She looked back to Willick and said, “By all means.”

When she stood to go, Willick gestured her down. “Please, my lady, do not get up. We can discuss our matter on a walk.” He glanced at Colton. “If it pleases you?”

Seeing the questions in Kyla’s eyes, Colton expected to be bombarded with them. At that moment, he was glad to leave. “Um, sure. See you at dinner, Kyla?”

“Yes, you will.” Her tone and expression spoke volumes.

After a nervous glance backward, he walked the halls with Willick.

“She seems to be a wonderful young lady,” Willick noted.

Colton unsuccessfully tried not to grin. “She is.”

“Is there romance in your future?” A few inches taller, Willick glanced down at him and added, “If you are okay with me asking?”

“I like her a lot, so we’ll see. But don’t worry. I’ll keep my focus where it needs to be.”

Willick waved him off. “Colton, if the prophets chose you, they did it because of who you are and the person you can become. Some things should be calculated and thought entirely through. Others, you should go by instinct and allow your heart, mind, and soul to decide. The latter will be the most important, and your decisions in those instances shall prove why the prophets made the choice they did.”

Willick paused to let that soak in before saying, “We cannot know how much time we will be given with those we love before they are gone. So when you find it, if you have found it now, do not blunder it.” His eyes stared past Colton as he added, “For only a fool would do such a thing.”

Colton sensed a pain coming from the man. Not knowing what to say, he remained silent.

Willick changed the subject. “I came to talk about what shall soon transpire for you. Tarend Gull’s court date is fast approaching. I will escort you to it.”

Colton’s stomach dropped. He hadn’t forgotten about it, but whenever he envisioned seeing TJ’s murderer again in person, it made him both furious and nervous.

“You mentioned in your note that I’m to give a testimony.”

Willick nodded. “Yes, you and your friends. Remember what I said: stick to the truth.”

Colton frowned, asking, “And how should I explain what happened when Gull tried to kill me?”

“Speak true. Say it all as you perceive it. The judges will ask you to swear in the name of the prophets. I am not sure how much they mean to you, but for us to lie in their name is a horrendous act. One who does so is considered the lowliest of low and loses their honor in the eyes of others.”

Colton shrugged. “I try to never lie. But I can’t talk about wielding on Earth. I’m supposed to keep that a secret. So won’t it hurt the chances of a conviction if I say he stopped in mid-air, no explanation?”

Gull will pay for what he did to TJ. Of that, he wanted to be sure.

Willick looked torn for a moment. But he gave a comforting shoulder squeeze and replied, “No, you cannot yet say you wielded. The Throne is not helping you in this matter, I understand. But you can still trust in what you see to be true. Maneuver around that problem without lying, and the prophets will ensure the appropriate justice is handed out. He killed your friend, an innocent fellow human. That shall not go unpunished.”

Colton didn’t much like it. He wasn’t sure if it was because he knew how corrupt and backward the court system could be on Earth and worried it might be the same on Vintara, or because the Throne had been letting him down. Either way, he felt uneasy.

Willick seemed to read his expression. He looked troubled when asking, “You do not trust me?”

Colton shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Willick. It’s the Throne and many of its subjects I have trouble trusting. We weren’t here a day, and people were ready to crucify us. I understand you tried to warn me of them, but it was still a shock. Then we get to this facility and, over time, feel like we’re treated as children. We’re locked in here and told almost nothing of what is in store for our future.”

Colton attempted to hold back a scowl from his face, but he couldn’t help but be angry. “And that brings up the whole prophecy, that important bit of information the Throne has still neglected to tell us Earthlings about.” He didn’t realize he had raised his voice until he finished. They had just reached the front lobby, and luckily no one was around.

“Come outside,” Willick responded. “Let us get some air.” He strode over to the doors, green cape flowing out behind him.

When they stepped out, he continued, “I promise, Colton, those from your planet are not being overlooked or led blindly. The king is fully invested in you. Put aside you Earthlings, and we are losing numbers. Ever since The Heart’s attack on Earth, we have had deserters in our ranks. Millions across the known planets have fled to the Quinnero System. People fear that The Heart is The Son of the Prophets, and more join his cause daily. The king, along with the rest of us, is reliant upon you Earthlings because you are all that is keeping us balanced with the Army of Flame at this time.”

He paused before adding, “And as for your prophecy concerns, the king plans a personal address to your planetmen within days.”

Colton’s eyebrows shot up. “And what about me? Is he going to announce my part? Do the high-seats, the king, even believe I wielded on Earth?”

“I am certain of what I saw, and that is good enough for the king. He does not want to announce anything regarding you until we get you back to Earth and prove you can wield on it. There has been a discussion of sending you there now that you can control your power, but you will finish your training first. He wants you ready; for us to be sure of it happening when the time comes.”

“And the high-seats?” Colton asked.

Willick frowned. “The council has been more difficult and less receptive than I had hoped. Once you Earthlings wielded, that made the situation slightly better. But they still face many dilemmas, the greatest being how to maneuver telling a teetering public about you, Colton. Then there are also the desertions and Quinnero troop movements drawing their attention. As well as ominous reports of camps being set up on Oldir, either searching for or building something.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Colton noted.

Willick shook his head. “It is not. But we do not know the validity of the reports. Perhaps The Heart of the Flame’s greatest talent is keeping his plans secret.”

Colton took a deep breath. “Do you think he’ll attack soon?”

“Not while he continues to add to his ranks,” Willick answered. “He knows that will mostly stop if he sheds first blood. I think we still have some time. But it is running out.”

Colton frowned, noting the bastard had already shed blood. “And what about Earth? It’s safe?”

Willick seemed to loosen up at the question. “I believe Earth is the safest planet of them all. There is no strategic advantage for starting a battle there now. The Heart made his show, and he deems you Earthlings to be nothing. A fool’s thought for a man that is not known to be one. Hopefully, that underestimation of you will work out for all of us.”

“Let him keep underestimating us,” Colton said, more so to himself. “We’ll make the son of a bitch regret it.”

28

“Who was he?” Kyla asked for the fifth time since Colton left her in the courtyard the previous day.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” he answered in disbelief. “He’s the guy who found us after we fought the two Quinneros.”

She judged him for a second. “Why did he act like you were longtime friends?”

He threw his hands up in the air. “These people are different. He was just telling me he would escort us to Gull’s trial. They probably decided we’d be the most comfortable with him.”

Colton walked a fine line trying to stay as open and honest with Kyla as possible. He hated lying and so did his best not to with her. But his secret getting out could be a danger to his loved ones. He wasn’t taking any chances, which meant not being straightforward, no matter how much it sickened him.

“What do you have in your head about me?” he asked. “Do you still think I’m a Vintaran, secretly mingling in with us Earthlings as a spy? I promise you that is not the case.”

Her narrowed eyes never stopped regarding him. “No, not quite that. But I always knew something was up with you, and yesterday only confirmed it. I’ll eventually figure it out. I’d just like to believe we are close enough now that you’d share everything with me.” She said it in a half-joking, half-evil mind-game manner, leaving him feeling horrible.

At that moment, Allandra’s voice rang throughout the entire facility. “Ladies and gentlemen, you have come a long way these past few months together. You entered an unknown journey, making the first bound down a mysterious path when you arrived on this planet. In becoming comfortable wielding Solara, you took your second leap. It is now time you make your third. There is a special announcement tonight. The king wishes to address you Earthlings personally. After dinner, please meet in the café.”

Colton and Kyla were alone in her room, so he couldn’t see the speculation he was sure the rest of his planetmen were all making. He knew he would hear Kyla’s, though, which was terrible timing because it all had to do with what he was trying to avoid discussing with her.

“What could that be about?” she asked.

He tried to sound offhand, responding, “Sounds like something important.”

Her voice was laced with curiosity. “The king himself. Maybe he’s just going to talk about the next phase of our process.”

He remained silent, not wanting to give any hint he knew what was transpiring.

She tilted her head in thought. “Or he acknowledges it’s time for him to address us personally. Besides a few shots and stories on their news programs, ones that didn’t black out, we haven’t become acquainted with him.”

Colton shrugged. “Could be something we have no way of even predicting. Or it’s as simple as what you said. We can only wait and see.”

She once again narrowed her eyes at him. “I expected you to be more questioning of this.”

I can’t win with her. “I’m simply relieved he’s finally doing it, be it for whatever reason. We’re here to help save his Throne, after all.”

“That’s true,” she responded with a few quick nods.

He was thankful she seemed to accept the answer.

When they arrived for dinner later that night, Colton was nervous. The café buzzed with excitement. While their seven newfound friends ate with speculation for what was coming, Colton and his hometown buddies waited in earnest.

When dinner ended, Allandra made her way to a podium in front of the tables, to a dimming of the lights. “Please, everyone,” she said, “if you can keep your attention up here, we will have a projection of the king’s address.”

She walked down, and sure enough, the giant projection appeared right where she had been standing, somehow blocking out the podium and everything behind it. It started as a solid opaque white light before forming into the scene of a room with red carpets and a marble fireplace in the background. The view was so clear that it felt like the room had transported into the café with them.

In the center was an oversized gilded chair where the king sat. His pose was relaxed, leaning back with elbows on the armrests, arms folded on his lap, and one leg placed over the other. His pants, high-collared jerkin, and cloak draped over his shoulder were all white. The only other colors on him were the gold belt around his middle and the bold black outline of the five-pointed star with the hilt sticking out of the bottom—the symbol of the Throne, on his chest. The sides of his head were covered by a gray circle of hair wrapping around the large bald spot on the top. Besides the grand outfit, the king looked like any ordinary older man.

The sight of him, however, eased a little of Colton’s tension. Just as Allandra’s smile was grandmotherly, the king’s was grandfatherly. What stuck out most about him were his stark blue eyes. The color of a clear sky on Earth, they were as if one placed the eyes of a twenty-year-old in an older man’s body. Colton stared at them and forgot for a second that it was an elderly man he was looking at.

The king cleared his throat, and those eyes never wavered from staring straight ahead. “I would like to start by giving you Earthlings a long and overdue welcoming ‘hello.’ You have shown tremendous strength and courage in deciding to go farther from your homes than you ever imagined possible, all in the defense and betterment of this great kingdom. For that, you all have my respect and gratitude.”

Where his appearance lacked power, the king’s firm voice made up for it. “Though it is still a long path ahead, in such a short time, you have come far in learning the true potential of being human. And perhaps while you deserved recognition and an address from me sooner, I found it essential that I first wait for you all to wield.

“We must respect and, more importantly, trust each other. You will soon be soldiers of my army. Without respect and trust, we will only cause more harm than good for all of us. I did not want to hold anything back when I addressed you. My high-seats and I decided it best to let you become better connected with us, the universe, and the true powers it grants you before I spoke of the coming events.

“Besides what some of my subjects and fellow Vintarans believe, war is imminent. The attacks on your planet were a clear precursor to that. The Heart of the Flame is an evil man. He is a slaver, an oppressor, and, worst of all, a murderer of the innocent. He is intelligent, powerful, a trickster, and a manipulator. Combine all that, and we have a monster who has schemed his way into acquiring billions of misguided followers and soldiers.

“The threat he poses is real, and you all can attest to that better than some who have been a part of the Throne their entire lives. That is why if you are going to fight against this threat, fight for the Throne and your planet, it is time you know the full details pertaining to this war.”

The king took a quick breath. He wasn’t rushing his words, but neither did he speak slowly. His voice was smooth and fluent.

“The Heart of the Flame did not just attack Earth to spread fear, and he did not do it solely because he’s evil and holds disdain towards you. There was an ulterior motive behind his actions, one I am ashamed to admit we kept hidden from you.”

Colton’s insides tightened.

The king’s gaze never wavered from the camera, his eyes intent as he continued. “Since the establishment of the Throne, we in the solar systems believe in and follow a prophecy. It was passed down to us by our prophets as a warning and a sign for certain events to come. It is as follows:

“When one color dwindles, and another begins to shine, the universe will again head into its own destruction. Divided in two, the wielders will fight until all are lost. Fear will spread like an illness; death will consume all planets, there will be nowhere safe, nowhere left to run and hide.

Only one can save the universe from this doom. He is The Son of the Prophets, the one who must rise above all others and unite the universe as one.

Envisioned by the will of the prophets, it can only be achieved through the help of the prophecies.

But only when he is known can the fulfillment begin. Only where the power has been long forgotten, this is where The Son shall mark himself.”

A murmur spread across the room. Colton closed his eyes and hoped for the best.

The king stayed straight to the point. “With a universal war on the brink, if The Son of the Prophets is going to show himself, many imagine it would be now. We all believe he will mark himself, reveal the prophecies, and cleanse the universe of this evil threat.”

“But for this to happen, he must first make that mark: ‘where the power has been long forgotten.’ We always assumed the only place that could be is on Earth. It is part of why your planet was left blinded to the rest of the universe. And that was also the motive behind The Heart’s attack. He envisioned by doing so, he marked himself as The Son of the Prophets.”

Gasps echoed throughout the room.

Colton froze, too nervous to meet the faces and reactions of those around him.

The king shook his head. “To believe The Son of the Prophets marked himself by death and destruction would be for me to go against everything I have stood for my entire life and reign. So before any of you panic or lose complete faith, I am sitting here telling you all, with every scrap of integrity and honesty I hold to, by the prophets themselves, I do not believe The Heart of the Flame to be The Son of the Prophets. That monster is not the man I grew up worshipping.”

He leaned closer with an earnest expression. “I am asking you all to look into my eyes and see the truth. Trust that the king of the universe you are a part of is not wrong or a liar. Soar into the darkness with faith. I have reliable information from sources deep inside my council that The Heart of the Flame was not the only one to wield Solara on Earth that night. Another did, a man on our side. While I did not see it done with my own eyes, I trust my sources and their judgment.

“Therefore, do I accept The Heart of the Flame as The Son? No. Do I assume this other person is? That is still to be determined. Two men wielded the power where it has not been grasped in thousands of years. But while they did so, neither one performed a task marking themselves to the universe as a whole to me. So I do not view it as a cause to celebrate or a reason to fear. Nothing has changed for the worse. We are on the brink of the same war we were before your planet was attacked. If anything, both societies are now better off with the alliance we have formed.”

He took another breath. “And finally, why we did not tell you this from the beginning. To explain why you were asked to leave your homes and families before hearing this critical piece of the whole scene.

“It is simple. We were scared, fearing that if you heard this information before knowing anything about us, you would envision this as a doomed cause. We needed you to understand better what this coming war is all about and, of the utmost importance, better understand yourselves. We all have a deep connection to this universe and Solara, one that would be impossible for you to fully comprehend without touching and mingling with it firsthand.

“Thus, am I shameful for holding back information to get you here? Yes. Do I regret it? Not at all. You are needed in this fight. This universe needs you to help defend freedoms, happiness, honor, love, and even Solara itself. If you have not grasped the true meaning of what we face, you will.

“We did what we thought we had to for the largest outcome of Earthling recruitments. Not to use you but to give Earth and the Throne with it the best chance for survival in the coming struggle. I like to imagine that in the end, you may look back at this and agree it might not have been right, but it was necessary. In the future, I hope you can at least understand why.

The king leaned back in his chair. “We told you when you enlisted that it would be final. I am retracting that decision. As I said before, we need to trust and respect one another. How could I ask you to do such a thing when you made your choice while ignorant of the whole truth?

“You all have a week to decide. If you want to go home, if you are too angry or too scared to stay, here is the chance to drop out of our ranks without shame. But if you elect to remain in the fight, you will become a member of the Royal Army like any regular soldier. You will fight for the Throne, your planet, and yourselves until no fight remains. That is the decision you must make.

“I have faith in hoping this shall help build that trust and respect between us. You now understand everything you should about this struggle we face. And you have felt what it is to wield. You can better grasp both the beauty and terror that lies within the power of the stars—a beauty capable of extraordinary acts but a terror that can do so much harm.

“I hope most choose to stay, and I ask that if you do, any resentment one may feel can be diminished in time. We are on the most equal ground in thousands of years. It is the moment we truly welcome and mingle you Earthlings into our culture and society. Whether that shall happen starts with you and the choices you now make.”

The king crossed his legs, and the grandfatherly smile returned to his face for the first time since he began speaking. “Goodnight, be strong, and no matter what decision you come to, may you be blessed by the stars and prophets.”

The projection disappeared, and the lights came on.

The room was silent. A feeling of shock seemed to fill the air.

But Colton was relieved. The king had turned everything around, lessening the people of Earth’s cause in holding a grudge and, at the same time, retaining a desire within them to stay. I guess he’s not the king for nothing.

Allandra returned to the podium. “Because there are so many of you in here, and I am sure plenty have questions, I must require you to wait to ask them. I know that is frustrating, but it will be much easier and more organized if I can answer them in class tomorrow, broken down into your groups. I do not want to miss anything anyone desires to ask, and this gives you time to ponder over questions you may not yet have. Think long and hard. Goodnight, my friends.”

She strode out of the room along with the other instructors. The few guards who remained looked uneasy, and so had Allandra, for that matter. Colton figured she was nervous about facing his fellow Earthlings as a crowd.

He glanced around as people muttered amongst one another. He was about to find out if her trepidation had been warranted.

29

Once the instructors were gone, the room was much quieter than Colton had expected, the shock on his planetmen’s faces evident.

Tommy leaned over and whispered in his ear, “I’m not sure what to think about this?”

“Me either,” Colton replied. “I anticipated a little more outrage out of our people.”

Tommy’s look and tone were serious. “That’s not what I’m talking about, Colt. I mean the fact that the Throne just banked its entire foundation with those from our planet on the idea you can wield on Earth.”

Colton snapped his head towards his friend before looking around to ensure no one had overheard.

Tommy continued, “I have complete faith and trust in you, in regards to the power you’re already capable and one of the strongest amongst us here. But none of that means you wielded on Earth. Willick thinks you did, and you told me you’re now finding it likely, but we don’t know for sure, and how could they? We discussed this as a possibility, but it still seems like a huge risk for the Throne to take without being certain.”

Colton had been so worried about his planetmen’s reactions that he hadn’t comprehended the magnitude of the Throne’s approach. He added, “Plus, now that they told us, it’s only a matter of time until the rest of the universe hears that another may have wielded.”

Tommy nodded. “Exactly. The public probably already knows. I doubt the Throne is going to let the guards and instructors be the ones to go home and break the news.”

Colton was getting the impression he’d been watched much more than he realized. “They’re going all-in, hoping what Willick thinks about me proves true.”

“Yes.”

“I’m either their hero or, instead of marking myself The Son of the Prophets, will mark the demise of the Throne and universe.”

Tommy shrugged. “Morbid way to look at it.”

Colton started to feel a little sick. “They’re either crazy or desperate, perhaps both.”

He jumped when Kyla’s hand tapped his shoulder. “Come on, you two. We’re all meeting in my room to discuss this.”

He didn’t much remember the walk there, dwelling on what the speech meant. He was the Throne’s shield against the sword The Heart had swung at them. He would be the only thing the Throne had to hold back the flood of people either deserting or pledging their allegiance to that madman. His insides felt wound up tight as a spring.

When they got to the room, Kyla snapped him out of it by asking, “What’s wrong with you? I didn’t think you’d be that stunned by this.”

He shook his head. “Sorry, I’m just...this is big.”

She looked angry. “Yeah, one hell of a secret to keep from us.”

Once in the room, they settled into a circle. They were all there: Colton and Tommy, Ace and Morris, Kyla and Molly, Kevin, Eric, Demarcus, David, and Emily.

“Them bastards have some nerve,” Eric said.

“We’ve been manipulated,” Demarcus agreed.

Kevin looked scared. “What do we do? Do we leave?”

“Well, what do we exactly take from this?” Molly asked, appearing confused. “Do we even believe in prophecies?”

“We take that we all been pulled into a goddamn farce,” Eric yelled.

David looked lost in thought, his dark eyes staring at the ground. Emily appeared frightened along with Kevin, and Kyla looked as he expected, angry. As for his friends from home, Tommy kept quiet, not letting his emotions show. Ace and Morris both stared at the ground with worried expressions.

“He asks for trust after telling us he lied.” Kyla had heat in her voice.

“Technically, he never lied about anything,” Tommy responded, earning a dark glare from her.

“Let’s rationalize this,” David said. “We’re still in the same war we thought we were. The only difference is everyone out here believes that a savior will come and lead one side to victory. The Heart of the Flame’s people sees him as their savior.” He frowned. “And it doesn’t bode well that he’s already their leader. But on the other hand, the king is telling us someone else possibly wielded, an unknown mystery person on our side.”

Put that way, it sounded awful. Colton needed to step in.

“Let’s start with this,” he interjected. “Do you blame the king?”

“You don’t?” Kyla read into his question, appearing incredulous.

“I’m looking at it from his point of view. Imagine he had come along the day after Earth was attacked and told us about the prophecy. If that happened, not half of the numbers that did would have joined. Who would want to join a fight whereby it already seems a victor has been chosen? Especially when we damn well know how that victor views us? I mean, picture alone the chaos it may have caused on Earth.

“No, he waited for us to better understand Solara. Without wielding, we could have never truly grasped this power’s importance. With it, we are capable of greatness or are a weapon that will only bring suffering to the universe. The people who win this war will choose which of those ways Solara is used. I don’t think the king was lying.” Colton realized it as he said it. “He actually believes there is another man who wielded on Earth, one that he must hold some stock in.”

They all mulled it over for a minute.

“Why not tell us who the person is?” Demarcus asked.

“For that person’s protection,” Tommy jumped in. “Maybe they aren’t yet ready to come forth. Think about it. Once The Heart of the Flame hears this, he will go straight for the person. Perhaps the king believes whoever they are, they may one day be up for that challenge, but not today.”

Colton’s mind drifted to his family. How many people in the Throne’s leadership circle know about me? Can they all be trusted? He needed to talk to Willick about that.

“The king didn’t completely mislead us into a situation of no return,” Morris added. “He’s allowing the choice to go home. He made sure we understood what we were fighting for and what we were giving up by leaving before we made our real decision.”

“So what?” Kyla scoffed. “He gave us a taste hoping it would be too much to leave behind. It’s like handing over a drug to make us dependent on him.”

Colton grabbed her hand. “It may seem that way, but that is not what he did. We now understand just how helpless we’d be if we go home. I refuse to not play my part in this battle against evil. I want to continue learning. I want us all to remain to fight for what is right.”

Kyla was frowning, but Colton could tell his words were sinking in.

Ace stood up. “I came here so what happened to my friend TJ doesn’t happen to anyone else. I’ll be damned if this is going to change that.”

Morris followed suit. “There isn’t any way in hell I’m letting some black-eyed bastard take me or my dad’s head for a trophy. I’m staying.”

“Even if The Heart is The Son,” Tommy was adamant, “I’ll stand against him until I can no longer stand.”

One by one, the others nodded. Though Eric still looked pissed, and some of the others scared, going home wasn’t an option. Who were they to judge anyone if they would sit idly by and wait, hoping the Throne successfully defended their freedoms and lives? Even if it was a lost cause, it was their cause.

Colton glanced around the room with pride, staring at his friends willing to risk their lives to defend the good in the universe. But he also felt trepidation. The king’s announcement only furthered the idea that Colton’s fate would heavily impact all of theirs. That left him with guilt for still holding back critical information while at the same time feeling extreme pressure to succeed, for all their sakes. It was a whirlwind of emotions, ones that wanted to overwhelm him.

But when Kyla squeezed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder, it helped regain his resolve. He’d keep taking it one day at a time, trying to prepare himself the best he could. With determination, he thought, I’ll just have to make sure I don’t fail.

30

Colton was proud of his fellow Earthlings. Only about a fifth of them went home. And many hadn’t made the choice because of fear or outrage over the king’s address. Some simply missed their families, had too much trouble wielding, or dealt with some other internal conflict. And those who remained believed they had taken a turn for the better. For the first time, they felt part of the Throne and the fight to help maintain what it and Earth stood for.

During the week his planetmen made their decisions, Colton received a video from home. He had sent several letters back and forth with his family up to that point, but it was the first time since leaving that he saw them visually. He held back tears, watching everyone explain that they were doing well. His parents had found a condo to rent out. And his mom was still seemingly crying nonstop, but that was to be expected.

He recorded a video to return, telling them all about his life on Vintara. He couldn’t help but brag by performing a couple of wieldings during it.

That is why Colton woke up feeling good on the morning of Tarend Gull’s trial. He and Tommy met Ace and Morris for breakfast before heading to the lobby to wait on Willick. Excitement and nervousness were evident among them all. Tommy paced, Ace was for once quiet, and Morris sat with eyes closed and his head down. Colton had a bit of the jitters himself, but his good mood helped hold them mostly at bay.

The facility doors opened, and Colton looked up to see Willick, Roan, and Tal stroll into the building. He could swear an aura of power vibrated around them even though none were wielding.

Willick wore a slim-fitting gray coat that ran down to his knees. It had eight large bronze-colored buttons, all undone, revealing a dark dress shirt and green tie underneath. His green cape billowed behind him, and the eagle-branded sword hung at his hip.

Roan and Tal were dressed much the same, with the colors reversed. They wore green coats with gray ties and gray cloaks hanging down their backs. Roan’s hair was his short-cropped brown, but Colton noticed where last a bird had been shaved into the back; now it was a symbol of a sun. At his hips hung a sword of his own on one side and his bladed boomerang that had killed Gull’s copilot on the other. Tal, blond hair still flowing, held nothing but a long curved knife at his hip.

The small bag the Earthlings had been allowed to bring didn’t have room for anything formal. So during his earlier visit, Willick had informed Colton they would acquire proper attire before the trial. Walking up, he confirmed, “We will see you all dressed appropriately. If you will follow me.”

Colton’s nerves picked up a little as they strolled out the doors of the Dulver Facility.

Parked inside the entranceway of the gate was a black limo-looking hovercraft. It floated about a foot off of the ground and was shaped the same as a river raft: half circle, half square. Little wing-like triangles protruded from the sides. It even had tinted windows. Tal slid a side door straight up, beckoning them in.

Inside, there was cushioned booth seating. The seven of them packed in, and as Tal shut the door, a slit slid open up front, revealing the two twins, Magil and Lax.

“To the suit shop, Magil,” Willick ordered.

The slit closed after a nod from the twin on the left.

Within seconds the gates of the facility opened, and they flew out. All thought fled from Colton. It was the first time he had been outside of Dulver in months. They were on the bottom level of the three-height traffic, the street wasn’t mobbed like when they arrived, but people walked down it. Some looked grand, others drab. There were dark skin, light skin, and all color hairs, even green and blue.

The Vintaran fashion was odd. Where someone could look like any average person on Earth one minute; the next, Colton would see another walking down the street in a full-bodied robe with a hood attached. Or another popular attire was a loose-flowing tunic over tight, leathery-looking pants. It was as if every time period on Earth had been intermixed into a single fashion sense, along with other periods yet to come.

They came to a sand-timer light, and Colton noticed a guy on the street sporting a weapon: a sword strung behind his back. After that, Colton spotted others carrying weapons in public as well. He should have figured it was common, considering Willick walked into a learning facility with his.

They didn’t leave the lowest height, which was the slowest, so Colton got a good view of the different holographic billboards. One had a woman kneeling in uniform before a man dressed much like the king. The picture faded, and two giant symbols appeared: the symbol of the Throne, and what he had learned was the Army’s X with four differently colored circles: purple, white, pink, and brown, attached to each endpoint. He realized it to be a recruiting ad.

The next thing he saw made him freeze. It was a billboard with a view of Tarend Gull on it. The words on the sign swapped between “Murder on Earth?” and “Innocent or Guilty?”

Innocent or guilty?

A seed of doubt grew in Colton’s mind. He turned to talk to Willick but was prevented when they pulled up next to a building, rose at least ten feet, and stopped parallel to a doorway on the side of the structure. Tal opened the vehicle’s door and slid the glass away. He stepped in, and the rest followed suit.

Inside, a short, balding man waited. He smiled at Willick’s crew before frowning at Colton and the others. “Gentlemen, welcome,” he greeted. “How may I help you?”

“We need four suits rather quickly,” Willick stated. “For these young men here.”

The man locked his gaze on the eagle engraved on Willick’s sword sheath. His eyes opened wide, and he said, “Yes, Sir, Lord Runebar, right away.”

He snapped his fingers, and assistants appeared, two for each of Colton and his three friends. One minute Colton stood still, and the next, he was being pushed this way and that.

It only took about fifteen minutes before they were back in the limo and moving. Dressed much the same as Willick and his men, they wore uncomfortably tight black coats over what seemed to Colton to be a standard dress shirt and pants from Earth, with a skinny gray tie around his neck. The helpers chose almost all of it. His only choice had been to pick the color of his cloak.

The shop owner had rushed out a full rack of fine-looking ones, and Willick explained, “You choose. A cloak can come to define you. I would never decide that for you.”

Ace and Morris ended up going with a gray like Roan and Tal. Tommy picked a light brown. And Colton chose a green a tad lighter than Willick’s, which had always been his favorite color.

“Riding in style and looking damn good while at it,” Ace exclaimed. “We need to hang with you more, Willick.”

Willick snapped out of whatever he had been thinking and smiled. “This case has picked up quite the interest with the media. There is a vast amount of people curious about you four. It is important to appear as well-dressed as can be given that you are about to represent your planet.”

Colton and his hometown buddies turned to one another rather nervously. After a moment, he asked, “What happened to us not drawing any attention?”

Willick’s lips creased into a straight line. “As you previously noted, Colton, the public has reacted worse than we expected to this sequence of events. From The Heart attacking Earth to you Earthlings coming here, we hoped our citizens would be stronger.”

“Some of them are xenophobic pigs,” Tal muttered.

“Faithless bastards,” Roan grumbled.

“Yes,” Willick agreed. “And because of that, things have changed. We need the public to see you Earthlings as equal and capable humans. Our best way to do that at the current time is through you four. This might open a door for us in the future to make any revelation regarding you more acceptable. Our people need a face to rally behind. If it was up to me, we would—”.

He cut off as they turned a corner, and all eyes drew to the mob they were about to enter. The street was packed end to end with people and hovercrafts.

Magil raised the limo about ten feet in the air to avoid hitting anyone. He waited momentarily before a blue beam shined onto them from a building down the street before moving toward its source.

The people spun and looked as the limo hovered over their heads. The ordinary citizens were the farthest of those from the blue light. Like Colton’s first day on Vintara, the crowd was of two separate opinions, and to his dismay, they stood just as adamantly as on that day. There were those seeking justice with signs that read, “A human is a human” and “The prophets defend all innocent.” Then there was the side Colton had feared. Those with ones reading, “A Forsaken War” and people screaming, “I will not go to war over an Earthling.” That sparked his anger.

As they got closer, the media came into view. There were hover-vans parked along the street, different programs labeled across their sides. Outside of them, camera operators, photographers, and reporters worked. Some cameramen wielding Solara hovered their cameras, smaller and more circular looking than Earth’s own, above their heads, trying to get a better shot. Others floated them over their right shoulders, a blue mist humming around them. Those focused on reporters who stood there talking, hands behind their backs, without a microphone.

Colton had seen reports like that on the scopes. One of his instructors explained that the reporters connect their Solara to the cameraman and camera, working together to allow the feed to focus solely where they wanted. The blue buzz around the camera allowed them to block out all sound at a certain distance whenever they chose.

They reached the source of the light shining on their vehicle. Colton noticed that the people closest to their destination were a mix. There were news media, soldiers and guards, and men and women dressed as finely as they were in the limo.

Magil headed for a designated area on the road blocked off for hover-cars to land. The building itself appeared similar to many courthouses and structures on Earth. Massive white marble columns rose to meet a flat roof with a dome sitting on the top, and two towers in a spire formation stemmed off on the sides.

The limo descended and landed. The door swung open, and the relative quiet inside was sucked out and replaced with commotion.

“Roan, with me. Wait with them one second, Tal,” Willick ordered before stepping out, followed by Roan.

Colton watched as, once they saw Willick, the media crowded around, trying to get a good shot. The photographers used cameras much like those from Earth. The only difference was a burst of wielded energy emitted from them instead of a flash to mark the taking of a picture.

Willick motioned to someone, and four soldiers came over to join him. When they did, he ducked his head into the limo and asked, “Gentlemen, are you ready?”

They weren’t. But there wasn’t much else to do at that point, so they all nodded. Tommy, closest to the door, headed out first, and Colton followed behind. He stepped out, and the commotion was even worse on the street. People pushed and yelled, and they all tried to get past a barrier wall of energy he hadn’t noticed the guards put up with their Solara.

Willick, his men, and the soldiers all formed a defensive circle around the four of them. When they started moving, Willick led the way, and Colton wondered how safe they were.

Reporters screamed questions, primarily aimed at Willick.

“Are these the four Earthlings?”

“What is your part in this, Runebar?”

“Willick, do you have any thoughts on The Heart’s announcement of strong repercussions to this trial?”

After the last question, Morris spun around and remarked, “I don’t know what Willick has to say. But from all of us Earthlings: The Heart can stick his repercussions up his ass.”

Roan chuckled approval while Colton turned and gave Morris a warning glare. It wasn’t a good time for his temper to come out.

The comment opened the floodgates. It was obvious now they were the Earthlings, and the questions became directed at them. Willick tried to rush them up the stairwell and did a fair job until he hit a gathering at the top. The delay wasn’t long, but just enough for a reporter inside the Solara-barrier to stick his head over a soldier, put his blue-buzzing hand near Colton’s face, and ask, “Can you tell us who the person killed on Earth was? Was he important to your people?”

The second he saw the crowd, Colton told himself he wouldn’t answer any questions. That last one irked him, however.

He stared straight at the camera hovering over the reporter’s head and stated, “His name was TJ Mcphee. He was my friend and a human being. He died helping to defend my family. And if here right now, he’d be just like me”—Colton raised his hand, felt for the power boiling under his skin, and shot a green cloud of energy into the air that burst with a ‘pop’—“and no different than you.”

Colton got the satisfaction of seeing the stunned expression that turned into embarrassment on the reporter’s face as he jumped when the cloud had burst. Willick moved again and walked them past the last group of VIP media and through the doors.

Once in, Willick gave him a measuring look before smiling and deciding, “Well done.”

Colton flushed but shrugged. “You said the low profile thing was over. I’m going to show my friend some respect.”

Willick nodded before turning and strolling deeper into the building.

The courthouse, as he referred to it in his mind, was one giant piece of white artwork. The tiles they walked on were white, the marble walls surrounding them were white, and anyone working within wore garments of white.

The non-white is what identified those of the courthouse staff from others. Women, along with men, wore overcoats. In the women’s cases, they covered formal dresses with all different colored designs. And with the men, the overcoats hung over dress shirts, ties, and pants, which he realized were standard business attire.

A man strode out of a side hall and over to Willick. “Runebar,” he greeted with a nod before directing a contemptuous look toward Colton and his friends. “So, one of these is the Earthling.” It was a statement, not a question.

The man was tall and well-built. He had dark green eyes, dirty blond hair with more brown than blond, and a mustache of the same color. He wore a gray soldier’s uniform, with both the usual emblems of the Army and that of the Throne stitched onto the upper arms. But there was also a third symbol, ten dots circling a star, placed above those two. And the white cloak draped over his back had that same dotted symbol etched boldly in black on the middle of it.

“They are all Earthlings,” Willick responded. “But yes, one of these individuals is who you are referring to.”

The man stared long and hard at them before asking, “Which of you is Samson?”

The man left a daunting feeling hanging over Colton, so he slowly raised his hand.

“Gentlemen, this is Gunner Brax,” Willick introduced. “He is a respected general in the Royal Army, who now focuses more on being one of the king’s top councilmen and advisers, one of the Throne’s high-seats, and another representative from Vintara.”

Brax’s eyes never left Colton. He narrowed them when he asked, “What are your thoughts towards this all, boy?”

Colton looked to Willick, who opened his mouth to speak but closed it, saying nothing. He reluctantly turned back to Gunner Brax and answered, “I want to see justice done to the man who murdered my friend.”

Brax’s brow furrowed. “Not the trial, Earthling. I am referring to you being who our dear Willick here thinks you are. What are your thoughts on that?”

The man gave off a powerful persona, making Colton feel insignificant and helpless. But once he so nonchalantly wrote off the trial as if it was of no concern, that left Colton not giving a damn who the guy was.

He responded with some condescension of his own. “I think Willick seems like one of the few people I’ve met out here with some decent brains. So, for now, I’ll take it somewhat seriously.”

Brax’s face scrunched up, making him appear furious. “Somewhat seriously? Earthling, these matters are more important than anything your planet has ever been a part of.”

The words fueled Colton’s fire, but he only shrugged and said, “Maybe to you. But to me, this whole thing is just another case of the wrong man being let into power and playing off of strong ideologies to gain more. On Earth, we’ve dealt with this kind plenty enough before. And since it looks like you guys can’t, we’ll have to do it for you here as well.”

He imagined Brax’s face must have held every ounce of blood in his body. He appeared red as a beet and looked like he would explode from anger.

Colton didn’t care. He almost welcomed it. Since Brax was a high-seat on the Throne’s council, he figured that to be a reason many on the planet would always think the way they did about Earth. Until the top hierarchy rid thoughts like his, the mass public never would.

Green energy formed in Brax’s eyes, and when Colton sensed an overpowering force of will growing around the man, he reached to the core of himself for his own Solara. With his emotions at a boil, he grasped it immediately from the pit of his stomach.

But nothing came of it when a white-robed and hooded figure appeared amongst the group and declared, “What would the king think of such a dedicated high-seat losing his composure so? Losing it around a gentleman not only so young but one of our newly allied friends at that?”

Colton recognized Bayel Rizar. He wore the same white robe, sporting the Throne’s emblem, as when he addressed Earth. Colton hadn’t noticed at that time that the back also had embroidered the symbol of the ten dots circling a star. Two high-seats being the only people to have them, he figured he knew what it meant.

Brax had the courtesy of looking flustered by the comment.

Rizar continued, “Shame on you, Gunner. A high-seat represents the full meaning and power of the Throne, only less than that of the king. We do not befoul that by dishonoring those who would fight evil beside us.”

Brax appeared as if he wanted to say the exact opposite of what he did. “You are right, Bayel. I am ashamed to admit that I overreacted. These are tough times.” He turned to leave.

“Tough times indeed,” Rizar replied. “That is why we must hold true to ourselves and not let the situation get the better of us. Especially we high-seats. If we cannot even remember our common courtesies and apologize when we have committed wrongdoings, then what are we?”

The power welled up around Brax again, and Colton sensed Willick, who had been still the whole time, draw his. Rizar hadn’t twitched when it came to his Solara.

Brax reluctantly shifted to face Colton’s friends, never once setting his gaze on Colton, and muttered, “I apologize. Excuse me for my rashness.” He walked away.

Colton didn’t think he had ever heard a more insincere apology.

When Brax left, Rizar shook his head. “Please excuse him. He has achieved everything he has in life by pure strength alone. He has no regard for anything weak and is too dim-witted to crush his idiotic notion of linking Earth with weakness. Not the greatest example of our leaders. A better one would be—me.”

He smiled at them, and it did a lot. It first quelled the tension that filled the area. And with that went Colton’s anger. He could almost laugh at the purposeful display of arrogance the man gave off.

“I am Bayel Rizar. Welcome to my planet. It is a great pleasure to meet you all.”

Tommy held his hand out first and introduced himself. They all followed suit, and Colton was the last. When he did, Rizar grasped his hand a second longer than the others before saying, “Glad we could become associated. But now, if you could all follow me, we are on a narrow schedule here.”

He turned and gestured Willick to his side as he led the way. As they walked, Colton overheard him ask, “Did you plan to ever intervene?”

“For a moment, I thought to,” Willick answered. “But I became interested in how he would handle it. I must say, I did not expect that to be the result. Spirited one, is he not?”

Rizar grunted. “Spirited indeed. Not like the rabble I met on Earth, in that white house of theirs. When I arrived, they spent perhaps a minute fearful of the king’s defenders that escorted me before pouncing like birds to a piece of bread. They saw a chance to extend their standing with me, not even trying to be subtle about it. Distastefully, few in that building had anything other than attempting to gain power on their minds. It left me worried as to the personality of our friend here, if I am honest.

“But all for naught. It is pleasing to see he stands up for himself, his people, and his beliefs. Qualities he will need if he is to become what we hope. Though, you let it go a bit far. What if Brax struck him?”

Willick shrugged. “He is not that stupid. Or at least I hoped he was not. Besides, what could I do? We are having a hard enough time with some of the other high-seats. A confrontation between Brax and I will only do to further the divide.”

Rizar tapped Willick’s hand, and Willick glanced back to see Colton watching. Their talk ended there.

It was only a short walk before they stood outside two massive black marble doors. To both sides, also in black, the symbol of the Throne was etched into the white wall. And above the doors, an engraving read, “In the name of the prophets, all who enter here shall respect and receive their full judgment.”

Willick turned and said, “This is it, my friends. Remember to stick to the truth. Be honorable in the eyes of the prophets, and they will see this justly through. Good luck to you all.”

He strode in, leaving the four of them to follow.

31

Colton stared at the words engraved over the doorway before stepping through. A slight chill crept along his body, and a strange sensation of being watched overcame him. He didn’t know if it was his nerves, if they had some invisible Solara-barrier up, or if it was his good old imagination, but it put him more on edge.

The courtroom floor was the same black marble as the door, but everything else was white. The back half of the room had white marble benches on both sides, divided by a walkway down the middle. Every bench was packed tight with people. Some wore coat suits and had digital pads in their hands, while others wore robes like Rizar. Some were in the uniforms of soldiers. And another group looked more casual than the rest with less flashy coats or none even at all, Colton figuring average civilians lucky enough to come in and bear witness.

Past the initial seating, a shimmering green mist ran across the width of the room. Beyond that, there were a few feet of open space before another set of smaller benches divided each side. Five soldiers stood alongside each, swords hanging from their hips. And past the benches, alone in the middle of the room, stood a podium. That was the final object facing four oversized chairs standing roughly six feet up off the ground. A huge table was built into the floor and raised in front of them. The benches, podium, chairs, and table consisted entirely of white marble.

Tal and Roan took seats toward the back. Rizar walked to the front of the audience seating and sat two over from Brax, who gave him an unenthusiastic nod. But Willick strolled up to the green mist, over to two guards standing a couple of feet away. He handed them his weapons and strode through.

After a second of confusion, Rizar turned from his seat to gesture Colton to follow, and so he did. The guards stopped him, one wielding a buzz of Solara in his hand, and ran it up and down Colton’s body. When satisfied with his search, he nodded and let Colton pass.

He expected another chill when stepping through the mist but surprisingly didn’t feel a thing. He sat with his three friends and Willick on the small set of benches to the left-hand side.

A few minutes seemed to go by, and the room was mostly silent. It remained that way until a door in the front slid open, and out walked TJ’s murderer.

Colton hadn’t gotten a good look at Tarend Gull that first night, too distracted to concentrate on appearances. The man was shorter than him and also slimmer. He had a narrow, pinched face and a hooked nose. The one quality that stood out over all else was the thing Colton would never forget: those beady eyes. They were consumed entirely by the color black. Seeing Gull’s face added to those eyes in the light, he thought the man looked like a human rat.

Gull had the linked manacles, and helmet Colton previously saw on the scope attached to him. What he hadn’t seen the first time but now could, after knowing how to control the power, was the surge of Solara that flowed through the chains. He had learned that it prevented Gull from wielding.

Four soldiers trailed Gull, one unclasping him from the device and wielding Solara into him. Colton watched their energies enter behind his two knees, in the center of his back, and back of his head. He wasn’t sure, but he figured they manually blocked Gull from the power. Once the guards were satisfied, they led him over to the small bench on the opposite side of the room. Gull took a seat while the four guards stood behind.

A moment after sitting, Gull stared Colton’s way. While tough with the singular color, Colton was sure the man locked those black eyes onto his, pure loathing spreading across the bastard’s face.

The feeling’s mutual, prick.

Their heated glares remained locked until again the doors opened, and out strode a single soldier. He walked about five feet out, stopped, and announced, “Please rise for the honorable royal judges.”

Everyone in the room stood up, and so Colton followed suit.

“Amira Hurel, Royal Judge of Vintara,” the soldier announced as a tall, middle-aged-looking woman in a black robe walked out. The robe looked similar to those worn by judges on Earth, the sole exception being she had a white hood attached and pulled up, covering most of her head.

“Sajento Mormep, Royal Judge of Huran.” With that came a middle-aged-looking man wearing identical attire.

“Norudo Jentel, Royal Judge of Penski.” This time it was an old white-haired man with a black robe and white hood.

“Lastly, High-Seat of the Universal Throne and Royal Judge of Goria, Theda Ujil.” The final woman was the oldest-looking. She had long white hair spilling out of her hood and wrinkles all over her face. She took the last seat in one of the middle chairs behind the table.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” she began, “we are here today for the trial and sentencing of Tarend Gull of the planet Quinnero. He is accused of murdering innocents: TJ McPhee, Eleanor, and Jonathan Fretz, from, and on, the planet Earth.”

For an older woman, Colton thought Ujil still had a loud voice, albeit a rough one.

“Am I correct in saying that no one came to stand for you in the help of your defense, Tarend Gull?”

“No, ma’am,” Gull answered in the nasally voice Colton remembered.

“Then it will just be you. Regarding those slain, am I correct that standing for them, we have four young men from Earth who were friends to one of the deceased and witnesses to the crime?”

Colton and company paused and glanced at each other before responding, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Will anyone else be standing with you?”

Willick stood up and declared, “I, Willick Runebar of Vintara, shall, ma’am. I was also witness to the night of the murders.”

“As you will,” Ujil said. “You can start us off, Lord Runebar.”

Willick nodded and strode up to the podium.

When up there, he looked to the judges, and the younger woman, Amira, asked, “Willick Runebar, do you swear by the prophets to speak the truth as you know it? If so, please tell us of that night.”

“Yes, ma’am, I swear,” Willick announced before taking a deep breath. “Orders from the Throne led me to Earth on what has become known to all planets as the Night of Enlightenment. I snuck in after the Quinnero crafts arrived and was in the vicinity of these four Earthlings’ homes when my men intercepted a signal from Tarend Gull, who piloted his own Quinnero craft. He became frustrated with his orders to hold and not engage, and I watched as he took his ship down and attacked innocent civilians. He dropped a non-Solara projectile on an unsuspecting, defenseless street.”

“There were humans on this street?” Ujil asked.

“Yes,” Willick answered. “And unfortunately, two, the Fretz’s, were killed by the bomb. I witnessed the damage to their bodies myself.”

“Earthlings,” Gull roared. “They were all Earthlings!”

Ujil wielded, casting her arm Gull’s way. A hazy blur formed in the air around his mouth, causing him to fall silent.

“Earthlings are still human, Tarend Gull,” Ujil said, glancing at Colton and his friends.

Morris looked ready to jump the benches.

Ujil motioned to Willick. “Go on, Lord Runebar.”

“After the blast, over the transmission, I heard Gull state he was going down to see, and I quote, ‘what I won’.”

Willick hadn’t told Colton this part of his story. He was as keen on hearing it as anyone else in the room.

“From there, I followed his ship to the destruction site. By the time I landed and got there, I came to find Gull and his copilot engaged with these four Earthlings that are present and two others who were their companions. During the skirmish, Gull, unfortunately, killed one of the Earthlings—TJ McPhee, before he was knocked unconscious by the others. My men then engaged and eliminated the copilot. After finding Gull still alive, we took him into custody. That is my complete account of that night and incident regarding these murders, as I know it.”

“So you declare that Tarend Gull killed three Earthlings?” the judge from Penski asked.

“Yes. Gull killed three innocent humans who, an hour before that, did not know he, nor any of us, existed. And according to the Earthling authorities, two of them were in their sleep at the time.”

Murmurs ran through the crowd behind Colton. He hoped that was a good thing. Hearing the account had raised his anger back to the surface.

The judges huddled together for a private conversation. They stayed like that for a minute before they thanked Willick, and he sat down.

Ujil scanned papers in front of her before she announced, “I will next call the Earthling, Colton Samson, to the podium.”

Colton froze, not expecting it to come so suddenly. His nerves again picked up. He looked to Willick, who gave him a reassuring smile. Without smiling back, he got up and made a rushed trot to the podium, all the while experiencing a state of dizziness.

“Mr. Samson, do you swear by the prophets, and by the higher being or beings you may worship, that you will please tell us your complete and truthful account of the night in discussion?”

Colton closed his eyes and thought of TJ. His justice lies in my hands. I can’t blow this. “I swear, by my beliefs and everything I hold dear, all I say will be the truth.”

He started with being over at Tommy’s, and from the radios going out to the bomb dropping, he explained up to arriving at his house in full detail. “When we got to my street, it was destroyed. Everything was up in flames, including my house. And my parent’s cars, our means of transportation on Earth, were still there. So I figured they hadn’t gone anywhere.”

He turned to glare and point at Gull. “Then that man appeared with his companion, admitted to dropping the bomb, and claimed my parents were dead. He said their burnt corpses wouldn’t make a good enough prize and threatened that our cutoff heads would. I was sick to my stomach. Not only did I think my parents were killed, but the two claiming to have murdered them were mocking me with it. So we fought them.

“My friends and I had the numbers, but we weren’t trained in combat and had no weapons. It took everything we had just to hold them off. Towards the end, Gull smashed my face with the butt of his axe before burying its blade in my friend TJ’s ribs. He then came at me while I was lying on the ground.

“He put a foot on my chest and stared at me momentarily before swinging the axe down. It never reached me, stopping in the air, at which point I jumped up, pushed, and knocked Gull against a tree. He hit his head and fell unconscious. Then Willick and his men came and took over. They tried to give aid to TJ, but he died at our sides.”

Colton paused and shook his head. “We ended up finding my parents alive shortly after. Gull had made the claim to try and goad us, which worked.” He blew out a breath. “That is my full account of the night.”

Colton was relieved to have explained it all in what he felt confident was the complete truth. However, he worried about how it had come off to everyone else in the room.

“You are lucky, Forsaken,” Gull said, drawing his attention. “You attacked me. Many would say you deserve the same fate as your friend.”

Morris stood up behind Colton.

Willick grabbed his shoulder and said, “Peace, Charlie, quell your anger with the truth.”

Morris slowly sat down, shooting Gull a venomous look.

“One more outburst out of you, Tarend Gull,” Ujil warned, “And you will lose any speaking or questioning privileges.”

Gull looked away sullenly but nodded.

Ujil focused back on Colton. “Try to help me better comprehend, Mr. Samson. This man sitting here—Tarend Gull; he made you think he murdered your parents, taunted you with the notion, and in the fight that resulted from his actions, he killed your friend?”

“Yes,” Colton stated. “He did all of that. He killed one of my best friends, a good and innocent man.”

“But he let you live?” Ujil asked.

Colton paused and pondered how to answer that. “I believe he wanted me dead and meant to kill me. But why he stopped? I’m not completely sure.”

He wished to speak his whole mind. It was frustrating that he had to bend his words. But even he recognized the chaos that could result from saying what he truly believed, that he had wielded.

Ujil nodded, and the other three judges came together in discussion.

Gull stood up.

The judge from Huran, the younger man, noticed him and said, “You may speak, Tarend Gull.”

“Thank you.” He had a satisfied, smug smile on his face. “In my defense, I would like to state by this Fors... this Earthling’s account, he and his friends attacked us first. By the prophets, am I not allowed to defend myself?”

More murmurs ran through the room behind Colton, and his stomach dropped. He had feared people would look at it that way, as he and his friends had been the ones to rush the Quinneros. But Gull meant them harm that night, attacking Colton’s street and destroying his home. Colton imagined that those in the courtroom, and most importantly the judges, had to see he and his friends’ actions were justified.

The judge who acknowledged Gull said, “It is noted.” They bid Colton back to his seat.

After, went his three friends. They, like him, said all they could to express that Gull goaded them into the fight. But with Gull’s allowable counter comments, it still seemed as if they attacked him first, without knowing who Gull and his companion were or what they really had done.

The last to go was Gull himself. He attempted to pass the blame for the bomb and the ship’s landing on his copilot before speaking of confronting Colton and the others on the street.

“I tried to de-escalate the situation,” the man lied through his teeth. “We wanted to withdraw with the rest of our fleet. But the Earthlings were so enraged I was not turning my back on them. And then they attacked, three-on-one for each of us. I spent a few moments trying to safely defend myself without bloodshed, but it became apparent that would be impossible. I got two Earthlings down on the ground without doing so but then was forced to strike the third with my axe.”

He pointed at Colton. “That one there then screamed at me like a wild animal and attempted to get back up. So I ran over, used a foot to hold him down, and held my blade close as a warning. I hoped to show him mercy, but he caught me unaware. He pushed me off balance, jumped up, and threw me against a tree, where I hit my head and lost consciousness. I woke up in Earthling custody. That is my account of the events.”

Colton’s blood was boiling when Gull finished. It took everything he had to not wield his Solara forth and rain pain down on the bastard.

Morris was shaking next to him, seething with his own anger. He closed his eyes and grumbled, “I wish I could kill this piece of shit right here and now.”

Colton shook his head, so frustrated that he wanted to cry. “This asshole’s lies might allow him to get away with this.”

The judges got together for a final deliberation. They disappeared behind their door, at which point much of the crowd spilled out.

Colton and his friends waited in the courtroom, where little conversation transpired. He felt sick, berating himself and contemplating how he could have possibly better denied Gull’s claim of self-defense. When those who had left filed back into the room and the judges were announced back to their seats, Colton was so nervous that he barely contained his composure.

They sat, and Theda Ujil said, “We have reached a verdict. On account of TJ Mcphee, it has been determined that there is not enough evidence or testimony to prove Tarend Gull acted outside of self-defense. For the charge of murder in this death, we find him not guilty.”

Colton froze. He barely heard the few gasps behind him. He glared at Ujil, his stomach tied into a painful set of knots.

She continued, “As for the other two victims. Willick Runebar’s honor and word are well known across the stars. I believe him when he says it was you who spoke on that transmission”—she pointed at Gull—“and you who attacked the hapless street and its inhabitants. You were the pilot. That craft was yours to command. A copilot does not override his pilot’s authority on broadcast for their entire squadron to hear. Especially not when it is to commit a murder he would prevent. It was your voice on that transmission and you who pressed the button that killed those people.

“So for the charge of murder in the deaths of Eleanor and Jonathan Fretz, we, the Royal Judges, find you guilty. Your sentencing is execution by spearing. You will be speared once for each innocent human you murdered, resulting in a non-fatal spear to the shoulder, followed by a fatal spear to the heart.”

Commotion burst throughout the room. Colton couldn’t tell if people were cheering or outraged. There was just a lot of yelling. He felt conflicted as he watched the royal judges leave. Gull would be executed, but not for the death of TJ. He figured he should be happy, but a big part believed Gull deserved another spear for his friend.

“That is one of the more dishonorable ways to be executed,” Willick asserted. “They are making an example of Tarend Gull. Or perhaps the prophets punish him for lying in their name.”

As if in response, Gull jumped up and shouted, “This is unjust! I am to be speared for killing Forsaken? Even after I showed mercy to one who attacked me first?” He sounded like he was genuinely incredulous.

Willick seemed to have enough. He roared with venom in his voice, “You are done lying in front of the prophets, scum. They have passed their judgment and wrath onto you and soon will onto your master.”

Gull chuckled and responded, “Dear Willick. It is too bad you do not see as clearly as your brother. My master is The Son of the Prophets. He shall receive nothing but glory from them.”

The entire room had suddenly quieted again, everyone focusing their attention on the quarrel.

“My brother lost his way a long time ago,” Willick said with sadness.

Gull laughed again before asking, “He is the one who has lost his way? You were on that forsaken planet. Did you not see what happened?” He spun to the crowd and yelled, “The Heart of the Flame wielded on Earth; he fulfilled the prophecy. He is The Son of the Prophets. Thee who has yet bend their knee to him will face his wrath, and therefore the wrath of the prophets.”

Uneasiness swept over the room. People began looking uncomfortable in their seats.

Willick glanced around with a look of worry, seeming to contemplate something. But when he turned to Colton, he smiled. “The Heart of the Flame wielded on Earth, but that alone no longer makes him The Son. Things have changed.”

Gull was outraged. “How could it not?”

“You know how not. You and I both know the truth that you have been trying to convince yourself never happened. We both know you hold no shred of mercy. You did not just stop your blade in mid-swing.”

The loudest laugh yet protruded from Gull’s nasally voice. “Are you saying what it sounds like, fool?”

“I am.”

“You think that forsaken scum wielded on Earth?”

An unnerving silence settled over the room. Colton sensed the multiple gazes that drew to the back of his head. Goosebumps formed up and down his body as he anticipated what was coming.

Willick cast a look around before settling his gaze on Gull. “He is not a forsaken scum. He is a good, decent, and innocent human. A man only looking to protect his loved ones, a man far more honorable than your master. So no, I do not think he wielded on Earth. I know he did!”

There was what seemed like the most prolonged moment’s pause Colton had ever experienced before the entire room erupted into a turbulent mess.

Colton’s body was numb and frozen in place.

Tommy turned a shocked and nervous-looking face to him and muttered, “Oh shit.”

32

Roja Demoric left the courthouse through a side door accessible to only a few, avoiding the mass chaos that would be the main exit. He stepped out into a quiet alleyway, marble walls on both sides of the narrow lane, and made his way to the rear of the building. Once back to a main street, the foot traffic increased slightly, but not by much. The chaos from inside had yet to spread further than the front of the marble structure.

However, a couple of finely dressed citizens were leaning against the building frowning at the ground as they dwelled in their thoughts. If they had come from the courtroom, Roja imagined they were contemplating everything they had previously believed. He sure had the first time he was briefed on the Earthling.

“Major,” a familiar voice said from behind.

He turned to see Gunner Brax strolling out of the alley he had just come out of.

“General,” Roja greeted.

“Runebar has overstepped himself yet again,” Brax remarked while shaking his head. “When will the king and queen see reason when it comes to the man?”

Roja smirked. “The rivalry is still strong, I see.”

Brax’s eyes narrowed. “Remember you are talking to a superior officer, lowling. I can demote you back to the common ranks for the coming war.”

Roja opened his eyes wide, trying to look innocent.

Brax stared for a moment before his lip quivered, and he burst into laughter. When his fit subsided, he said, “Oh, my old friend, it is good to see you again.”

“Seventy years of suffering your nonsense,” Roja scoffed. “Basic training was bad enough. But a career of you as my commanding officer, darkness. I am certainly being tortured for some horrendous act in a previous life.”

Brax grunted. “It could be worse. You could be my enemy.”

Roja tilted his head, ceding the point. It would not get much worse than that.

“What will the repercussions of Runebar’s slipup be?” he asked.

His old friend, the high-seat, directed an ugly glare to the ground. “That was no mistake. The man is known for many things, but foolish slips of the tongue are not one of them. He has deliberately forced the council’s hand.”

Roja was taken aback. Even for Runebar, that was bold. “Will he face repercussions?”

“Doubtful. The council has been torn in so many different directions lately. Arguing over a form of punishment against one of the Throne’s top supporters, the one closest to the Earthling, on the verge of this looming threat, there is no chance an agreeance would be made.”

Brax shook his head. “In truth, he probably did us a favor. A few weeks ago, high-seats were questioning sending the Earthlings home. We were never going to get the full council to support making the boy known to the public.”

“Do you fear further desertions?” Roja asked. “Or worse yet, additions to the Quinnero ranks?”

“That was the main argument behind keeping the information secret. And I do worry it will only get worse. But soldiers and citizens were fleeing before this. And making the claim of someone wielding on Earth but not putting a face to them never felt right to me. An Earthling being that face will spark new troubles, but a face is a face; it is better than a shadow. I hope this will scourge the last of the cowards from our ranks, and we’ll be done with it.”

Roja frowned. “Some of my own soldiers have fled. Men and women that I never expected to be weak-minded.”

Brax shrugged. “The younger generations have yet to be tested in life. That is going to change very shortly. I am not overly concerned with the Quinneros gaining our weak.”

Roja disagreed there. Weak or not, a weapon of war could still do damage. And he prided himself on training the finest weapons.

“What will the council’s next move be?” he asked.

“Simple,” Brax replied. “It is why Runebar did us a favor. We will let the rumor swirl that Samson is the one to have possibly wielded. But we cannot confirm anything until he returns home and hopefully does so again. It will make life easier from this point forward.”

“And you think it true? He actually wielded on Earth?”

Brax contemplated that. “Runebar truly believes it. And the reports say the boy has shown great strength and capabilities in his early wieldings. Thus, I have no choice but to believe in it. None of us do. Not unless we are traitors. I would like to have it confirmed, but I see sense in my peers’ argument that it is equally as important he finishes his training. There is also the notion of space travel now being a risk, given The Heart will have heard of him.”

Roja’s lips pressed into a firm line, but he nodded.

“Which leads to why I followed you out here,” the general stated. “I know you were recently briefed on the Earthling before today’s ruckus and were notified that he will attend your camp.”

Roja figured their meeting had been no coincidence. “Yes, I was briefed fully on the situation.”

“Good. You will report to me.”

“I was told to report to the council as a whole.”

Brax stared him down with a penetrating gaze. “And you will. But you will also report to me.” He handed a piece of paper over.

Roja opened it and saw a list of names, some familiar.

“Those will be his barrack-mates,” Brax ordered.

Roja frowned. “Is this necessary, Gunner?”

“Certainly.”

“I was told there was to be no contact between him and the council until he was deemed ready. The politics were supposed to stay neutral. Some would say you are seeking favor.”

Brax grunted. “I have made my thoughts of the situation well known to the rest of the council. I care nothing for favor from the boy. We need to know what we are further burrowing ourselves into. We have sent thousands of soldiers to Earth, our strongest wielders. None have grasped the power there. If he is our only hope, I must know what we have with him.”

Roja saw the sense. “I will do it, my old friend. I will report to the council, and if you have further questions, you have only to seek me out. I will keep those conversations confidential.”

He held a finger up, his blue Solara glowing on the tip to emphasize the point he was about to make. “But know this: I have soldiers to create. Daughters and sons to help return home to their loved ones. That is where my focus will be. No one under my watch will die because I did not give them the attention they deserved.

“I will watch and thoroughly assess the young man, but I will not spend time showing preferential treatment. He will face equal trials of becoming a soldier like the rest of my recruits. My daily routines and simulations are grueling enough. They will show us what we have in him.”

Brax smiled. “I do not doubt you and would have it no differently. For it is I who pushed for his placement in your camp. Your tests were the main reason.”

Roja nodded.

His former general put an arm around his shoulder. “Let us walk, my old friend. It has indeed been too long. How are Xela and the children?

* * *

A couple of hours later, in a less reputable section of Vintara City, Shar sat in a tavern with his head burrowed deep in the hood of his cloak. He placed himself at a booth in the corner, where he could see anyone who walked in. Underneath the table before him, his father’s coin spun its circle around his hand.

The only other occupants of the establishment were a barman wielding his glasses clean, a waitress doing the same to the dim lighting globes above, and a woman with deep bags under her eyes sitting at the bar, staring at the drink in front of her. It was early in the day for such a place to open its doors. The lack of occupants was no surprise. And Shar was thankful. He wore a distortion device in the event his face did pop out from under the hood, but still, one could never be too careful.

Damn Runebar.

He had hoped to have more time. To better find a way to save Vintara through other means. But that star had dimmed. Once the forsaken Earthlings started wielding, his plans fell apart. And now, the entirety of the universe would soon know that the Throne believed, or prayed, that the boy wielded on Earth. He was forced to make his move now or fall with the rest of his planet.

He was not one to fall. Whatever that entailed.

The door to the street opened, and another hooded figure walked in. Dressed entirely in black, the thin figure gazed around before settling on Shar and walking over.

Taking a seat, the person lowered the hood, and a woman stared back at him, her hair and eyes entirely black.

Shar gaped. “Would it not be wiser to work with a little more subtlety?”

The Quinnero shrugged. “This is an establishment of my Lord. Everyone here is loyal to him.”

As Shar now knew. Although he had been surprised to find it out. It had not previously been known during his days in the intel community. He figured it must be one of the many new Quinnero sanctuaries popping up over the past months.

“And how should we proceed?” he asked.

She smirked. “You seek the protection of the Son of the Prophets. And he offers it. At a price.”

“Of course,” Shar replied.

She leaned back casually. “A time will come when we ask something of you, and that is how you will prove yourself. See the deed through, and you will garner my Lord’s trust. Fail, and the Vintarans will execute you as a traitor.”

Shar glared at the woman through his hood. Who does this wretch think she is talking to?

“Is that a problem?” she asked.

Shar caught his father’s coin in its rotation and squeezed hard. “No,” he forced through clenched teeth.

The woman leaned forward and scowled. “Good. For now, you can tell me everything your council knows about the Forsaken scum at today’s trial.”

33

The events in that courtroom changed everything. Willick immediately apologized to Colton for his outburst and promised to prioritize his family’s safety, flying out personally to ensure it. So while Colton was at first pissed, he knew it had only been a matter of time before the revelation was necessary. The Throne’s populace had been teetering on an edge. Something had to give.

The news of the proclamation spread like wildfire across the Vintaran media. And no longer being held back from any programs, every Earthling heard about it. His planetmen took pride in the idea that one of their own was the possible Son of the Prophets, that an Earthling might lead them through the coming war.

Upon their return, Colton and the three others were celebrities at the Dulver Facility. The media, not being granted access to them, still waiting on a statement from the Throne, and needing clarification about the whole situation from the start, only knew Willick had been talking about one of the four, but not which one in particular.

Ace loved the newfound stardom, playing along with everyone but never leaking the truth. Morris seemingly ignored it all, but Colton thought part of him enjoyed the attention. Tommy acted like a politician, dealing with it accordingly and putting a smile on his face, but he gave no answers or hints about anything that wasn’t already publicly known.

But for Colton, he just wanted it to end. With something as big as the universe’s fate, he was apprehensive that people would view him a certain way before he understood the whole truth of the matter himself. And worse, he was sure that Kyla and some of their other friends were avoiding him. That became evident when he spotted Kevin walking down a bustling hallway and called out, “Hey, Kev.”

Kevin’s eyes moved onto Colton for a fraction of a second before snapping back forward. He made to hustle away but stopped, slumped his shoulders, and turned with a nervous expression. “Hi, man.”

Colton cursed in his head. If Kevin was apprehensive about talking to him, that didn’t bode well for the others. But he and his hometown buddies had agreed that they owed an explanation to their friends before anyone else.

“Listen, Kev,” he pleaded. “I’m not sure what you have been hearing or what you’ve been thinking, but I hoped—”

“Did you guys know all along?” Kevin looked more hurt than angry as he asked. “Kyla told us you met and talked with that Willick guy. She said you seemed to have a bond that was more than just him being a messenger. The second she heard, she’s been sure you knew the entire time. She tried telling us, but some of us wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt.”

Colton grimaced. “Listen, I understand how it looks. But please let us explain it. Will you meet tonight after dinner at the usual place in the lounge?”

Kevin looked at him blankly for a moment before shaking his head and saying, “Of course. We should at least hear you out.”

“All right, thank you. If you come across any of the others and can tell them, I’d be grateful.”

Classes were now optional for the last week to give the Earthlings a breather before shipping off to boot camp. So Colton hadn’t run into anyone else throughout the day. Tommy, though, had seen David and Demarcus, who were more than eager to listen. And Ace and Morris met in Colton’s room before dinner to tell him about bumping into Kyla and Molly.

“I’m sorry, but you’re a dead man, Colt. They nearly took our heads off.” Ace had his eyes opened wide, and his head leaned back. “If it’s any condolence, Emily has had it with me as well. But we were pretty much done as it is, so this makes things easier.”

Morris gave Ace a disgusted look and stated, “You’re a dick.” He sighed before turning to Colton and Tommy to add, “And we had our reasons, but we’ve all been dicks. We need to figure out how to make this right.”

“So, is Kyla going?” Colton asked.

Ace looked apologetic. “Yeah, Colt, but she’s not keen on seeing you.”

Colton wanted to track her down and explain himself, but he owed the explanation to the group as a whole. So he spent an hour with Tommy, Ace, and Morris, deciding how to tell their story. When it seemed as good as it would get, they headed to their usual spot in the lounge and waited for their friends to show up. Thankfully, everyone did.

The women arrived last, and Colton’s eyes immediately found Kyla as she walked in. The hurt and angry look she returned wasn’t pretty. His stomach dropped.

Since he was the one it was all about, Colton took the reins. “Hey, everyone. I assume you all heard about the events at the courthouse a couple of days ago. To fully understand those, you need to hear the whole story.”

He blew out a breath, thinking carefully over his following words. “You all know about the attack on my home and how our friend TJ was killed. Right after it happened, I was on the ground, and the guy who struck him came over to do the same to me.

“He lifted his axe and brought it down with full force straight at me. Meanwhile, I felt an internal pressure building. When the axe came down, it seemed to hit a solid block of air and stopped at the same time that the pressure released from me. I then jumped up, and Gull went flying. It’s all a little foggy, but I don’t remember touching him, and he flew further than if I had grabbed him with my hands and thrown him. He hit a tree and fell unconscious. That’s when Willick showed up and took Gull into custody.

“The next day, Willick wanted to meet. All I knew was that he was part of one of these alien forces, and I had a million questions, so I agreed. He tells me about the prophecy at the meeting and how he thinks I wielded, holding nothing back. According to him, that’s how I stopped Gull from killing me and sent him flying through the air. He said either I am this prophesized one, or The Heart is.”

The eyes in front of him opened wide, everyone realizing a top member of the Throne hierarchy truly believed Colton could be The Son of the Prophets. Kyla stared at him as if she had never seen him before.

Colton continued, “Willick made the four of us here swear to secrecy. He said it would be a matter of life or death, that our families would be in danger if this got out.

“I was never sure what to think myself—I’m still not. At first, I thought, ‘No way.’ I simply took a stranger’s word that there was the slightest possibility. And when I began thinking, ‘Maybe,’ when I compared how similar the sensations I felt that night and the first time I purposefully wielded were, that still didn’t make me The Son in my mind. Even if I did wield on Earth, I’m not the only one.

“So, being sworn to the secrecy and not understanding what it truly means, I would have been reluctant even if it was okay to tell people. Not because I don’t trust you guys, but I want to understand it better myself before others try to.”

He didn’t know if he was making sense to them. He had difficulty finding the right words. It was one of those instances where he had spent hours trying to come up with the best thing to say, and now that the time had arrived, none of it seemed right.

“You guys knew all along?” David asked. “About the prophecy and the fact that we may have thrown ourselves into a lost cause?”

“Yes,” Tommy answered. “But a lost cause is the worst-case scenario. And as hard as it was keeping it from you all; before knowing the truth of the matter, who were we to tell you? We still aren’t sure if Colton, The Heart of the Flame, or some unknown stranger is The Son.”

“So it is you they’re talking about,” Kyla finally spoke up, addressing Colton personally. “You’re perhaps the universe’s only chance?”

“That is what Willick and some in the Throne seem to think,” he replied.

“What do you think?” She didn’t appear angry or sad, but there was almost a pleading tone in her voice to get the truth from him.

“I told you, I’m still unsure. Did I wield on Earth? It’s possible. The rush of emotions that hit me that night are similar to the feelings I’ve had when wielding in an uncontrolled and unfocused state here. But does that make me some hero? To be honest with you, Kyla, I wouldn’t even know where to begin. How could I label myself as that to you when not only am I not sure it’s true, but if it is, I have no idea how I should go about living up to it?”

A tear fell from her eye, and he didn’t expect her response. “Don’t you dare try to turn this around. You lied straight to my face when I questioned you about Willick. And you lied to all of us when you defended the Throne’s decision in waiting to reveal the prophecy and held this back. What else have you lied about?”

All it took was to see the one tear in her eye, and he wished to travel back in time and tell her everything.

“How could I explain anything about Willick without giving it all away? We swore secrecy. My word is important to me. And they said lives would be on the line if we let this information slip.”

“Our lives are already on the line,” Molly added.

“But it’s my family The Heart may have gone after if he found out,” Colton replied, heat in his voice.

Kyla’s face was now full of tears.

He looked straight into her eyes and murmured, “I wished to tell you. Please believe me.”

“I do, but it doesn’t make me feel any better.” She got up and rushed out of the lounge.

He followed her. She was a strong and independent woman, intelligent and beautiful. When he first met her, he imagined nothing could make her cry. He had. That’s what hurt the most.

When he caught up, he grabbed her shoulder and pleaded, “Kyla, please wait.”

She turned and said through tears, “I put myself in your shoes, and I don’t know what I would do either. The only thing I’m sure of is that this all hurts too much.”

He felt choked up, sensing what was coming.

She continued, “Colton, our main purpose here is to learn to wield so we can learn to fight. How can we do that if we have personal issues we can’t stop worrying over? I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything since you left that day, and I saw the media coverage. The next phase may decide life or death for us,” she motioned her arm towards him, “which apparently also means peace or destruction for the universe. Christ, this phase can too. And how do we know we haven’t already set ourselves back?

“This is all happening so fast. There hasn’t been enough time to fully grasp how I feel about you and what something like this would mean regarding a relationship between us. Because let me tell you, I expect no secrets from someone I date.”

“Neither do I.” He barely found his voice.

“But it doesn’t matter,” she continued. “Either way, it is a risk we can’t afford to chance. We’re not here to make friends or find love. We’re here for one thing—to become soldiers of the Universal Throne. That has to come foremost, especially now for you.”

Colton wanted to say anything to make her change her mind. But he couldn’t find the words. She wasn’t wrong.

“I really like you, Colton. But even if I got over the lying, it isn’t in our best interests to dive further into this. We should try to keep our distance from here on out.” 

He found it hard to say anything. All he managed was, “If that’s what you want.”

They stared at one another for a moment, and he felt sick as he watched her burst into more tears. He moved to put a hand on her shoulder, but she turned and rushed down the hallway without looking back. Molly and Emily appeared out of nowhere, jogging after to console her.

His eyes never left Kyla as she ran the length of the hall and disappeared around the corner.

34

Colton downed his drink. It tasted similar to sake but had a hint of a herbal twist. He stood in the café, decorated for the farewell party most people were enjoying. Floating lights hung throughout the room, changing from a dim yellow to red, green, blue, and purple. The room would spend a few minutes in one color and then the next. Vintaran music played in the background. There were fast-paced songs that seemed like a mix of salsa and light rock music, and slower tunes that could go for any love song back on Earth.

Feeling down, he was thankful for the alcoholic drinks supplied. They had a red beverage he thought was wine. And the yellow one that he currently tried. He preferred that and had a few to calm himself, though he would have liked a nice cold beer.

Tommy punched his arm and looked at him in disgust. “Get it together. We leave for boot camp tomorrow. This might be the last downtime we have for a while.”

Colton looked over with the intent of telling him to get bent, but held his tongue.

He had walked into the lounge a few mornings before to see his face on the scope. That was when he knew the media had worked out that he was the one the hype was about. They had a shot of him in his Vintaran coat suit and cloak at the courthouse, and big, bold letters had read, “The Son?”

Once it was out, he couldn’t go anywhere in the building without being hounded. People wanted to know everything about him. Where was he from? What did he do for work? What happened on the Night of Enlightenment? Who was Willick? Had he met the king? The list went on and on. So he had spent most of his final week at Dulver bunkered down in his room.

“Any word about reaching your family?” Tommy asked.

Colton shook his head. “Only that they’re at a secure location on Goria. Willick said it isn’t the safest time to move me off the planet to go see them. I was told I could send video messages back and forth soon. But I guess any virtual contact can risk the security of the place. So he said waiting for things to die down a bit was safer.”

That was one reason for Colton’s dour state. He knew his family would hate being dragged away from home, and they would have a million questions.

Tommy gave him a friendlier pat on the same arm he had punched. “I’m sorry, man.”

“It’s alright. They’re safe, which is all that matters. For now, I just wait.”

Colton glanced around the room, searching for the other reason behind his moping. For the entire week, Kyla had been nowhere to be found. It was as if she had disappeared from the place. He figured with the crowds gathering around him, avoiding him mustn’t have been too difficult. It hurt to think she would do that. But he didn’t seek her out. He’d respect her space.

Eric came over with a couple of drinks in hand. “You fellas thirsty?”

Colton faked a smiled and took one. He flexed his neck and tried loosening the tension from his shoulders. Tommy was right. If this was their last moment to relax for the foreseeable future, he was doing a terrible job at it.

David, Demarcus, and Kevin came trotting over as well. He and his seven buddies had entered the party together, but Ace and Morris had become lost in the crowd somewhere along the way.

“Everyone ready to get their asses drilled tomorrow?” Demarcus asked.

“Can’t wait,” Tommy replied. “I’m surprised you guys agreed to bunk with us. We can’t even get the girls to talk to us.”

David waved him off. “It was upsetting, don’t get me wrong. No one likes being lied to. But you had your reasons. And we all have enough stress hanging over us. It was a tough situation.”

“I don’t think the girls are really that mad,” Kevin added. “It’s all been a lot for everyone to take in. A week ago, Colton was just another friend we met out here. Now he’s the face of us Earthlings. It’s overwhelming.”

Kevin glanced at Colton when he finished.

Colton nodded in appreciation.

“So we’re bunking with eight Spacelings,” Eric remarked. “How’s that going to go?”

“Spacelings” was the term the Earthlings decided to give to anyone not from their planet. Colton wasn’t sure who started it, but it had caught on around the facility.

Demarcus shook his head with a look of uncertainty. “To be determined.”

An arm suddenly wrapped around Colton’s shoulder, and Deen pressed between him and Tommy. Drinks followed the man, hovering in the air to everyone in their circle.

“To men braver than me,” he saluted. “May the prophets bless you and keep you safe. May The Son watch over all of us.” He winked at Colton.

The emphatic “Amen,” from Demarcus and “Here, here,” from Eric left blood rushing to Colton’s face.

Deen’s arm shot up. “Oh! Colton, I actually realized something. Remember when you asked me about seeing the numbers on the Alfadar? Or the sparks on the fencing? Why could you see them when no one else from Earth could?”

Colton thought about it and nodded. He asked Deen about those things weeks ago, before his revelation.

Deen’s eyes lit up. “Certain forces created, anyone can see. Examples you know are a flame or a powerful compact energy shield. But a basis wielding, or something stagnant, only one capable of wielding Solara can recognize it. None of your other planetmen had ever touched the power at that point. But you had wielded already, Colton. Solara already flowed through you. It is proof that you wielded on Earth. Or at least before reaching the Alfadar.”

His friends all focused on him with looks of surprise.

Colton took a step back. He didn’t know what to say.

“Is that not great news?” Deen asked. “I know you were unsure.”

“It is,” Colton replied. “Thank you. It’s a big reveal, though. I need a minute to take it in.”

Deen understood and turned to the rest of the guys. “Let us have that drink.” He held his glass in the air, and the others followed in downing theirs.

Colton stared at his own. The revelation wasn’t solid proof that he wielded on Earth, but undoubtedly a step in that direction. Which, oddly, didn’t leave him feeling any better. He felt an extra weight settle down on his shoulders, a million-pound one.

Near the end of the party, Allandra addressed everyone with some final words. “My students and friends, you have all come such a long way. You came here incomplete, not knowing the full capabilities offered to you. By working with us, you have learned our practices and, more importantly, learned to wield. And to my delight, we have also learned from you.

“We have all grown these past few months, which is very important. If we will successfully defeat the darkness ahead, that needs to continue to be the result of the interaction between our two cultures. Your help and influence on our side of this coming struggle can be the difference that decides the outcome.”

In Colton’s slightly drunken state, her words hit home. We’re the wildcard in this. I’m the wildcard.

“Do as you did here. Stay true to yourselves and true to the cause. There will always be challenging and uncertain times, but how we manage these and come out of them defines who we are as a person and a people. You have all shown nothing but courage and resilience through such times. That leaves me with great hope for the future.

“But now our time comes to an end. It has been my pleasure to have met you all. I will send the prophets my prayers to keep you safe in your travels. Have a wonderful remaining night, and good luck on the next step of your journey.”

There was a loud cheer from the half-drunk crowd as Allandra finished. Many whooped and hollered, and some called for a speech from Colton. But even after being lifted by Allandra’s words, he was in no mood or mindset to think one up on the spot. He waved them off with a fake smile.

To them, it’s decided. I’m the savior. I hope you’re not wrong, Willick. We’ll be letting a lot more people down now if you are.

He didn’t stay much longer. The next day would be a big one. Add the attention he was receiving to that, and it had all become draining.

Once back in his room, he crashed onto his bed and found sleep immediately.

He lay watching Tarend Gull swing the axe. He heard TJ’s ribs crack and cringed at the deathly grunt that escaped his friend’s lips. When he stood up and ran over to the body, it wasn’t TJ but his brother bleeding to death on the ground. “I’m sorry, Colton,” Joe croaked. “I have no choice.”

From his peripheral vision, he saw the axe coming and moved just before it would have taken his head off. It was no longer Tarend Gull but The Heart of the Flame swinging it. “I will take them all from you,” the man in red snarled.

Colton glanced back down, and when he realized it was now Kyla bleeding to death on the scorched ground, he lost all control. The power came rushing into him from everywhere, hate and anger filling him to the point of explosion. He gazed up at The Heart, felt the green fire burning in his eyes, and when he raised his hand to blast the bastard to hell, nothing happened.

“Fool!” The Heart mocked through a laugh. His red cape flowed behind him and expanded wider in Colton’s vision until the only other color left to be seen were the black abysses of the man’s eyes. “You are nothing more than a Forsaken fool.”

The Heart’s axe came down, taking him in the face.

Colton woke for his first day of boot camp, breathing heavily and covered in sweat.

35

The entirety of Dulver gathered outside the front entrance, the Earthlings preparing to all head to the same camp. The instructors said their goodbyes, each making a point of shaking Colton’s hand and wishing him strength and luck in whatever may come.

Deen emphatically believed Colton had what it took. “Since day one, you surprised us all here,” the man said in farewell. “Now go surprise the rest of the universe.”

Allandra remained composed, but she still grabbed one of Colton’s hands in both of hers and said, “All of our fates now lie with you, Colton. Follow your heart and follow the prophets. They will not let you down, and you will not let us. I know your personality; you will not allow yourself to.” She kissed him on the cheek and walked away.

He felt multiple emotions: pride, fear, excitement, and above all, nervousness. He knew he would do what was right and become whoever he must. But he had never liked disappointing anyone, even with something small. And what he embarked upon was anything but small. He hoped he could meet the challenge.

The transports were the same hover-buses they had arrived at the facility in. With all going to the same place, people hopped on whichever bus at their leisure. Colton got into a line with Tommy, Ace, and Morris. Casting a glance around, he spotted Kyla getting in a line two buses over. She was with Molly, Emily, and Becky. Seeing her sent a jab to his gut, and thinking about the whole situation made him want to find a dark space to crawl into and sleep.

His line started to move, and within moments he hefted his bag and headed onto the bus. When he turned to look one last time, Kyla stared back at him. She gave him the faintest of smiles before climbing into her transport. Colton did the same.

It didn’t take long for the buses to hover up, the gates to open, and them to pour out. No surprise to Colton; there were media outside of the facility. What was surprising, however, was how few.

“Thought there’d be more,” he muttered to Tommy.

Tommy shrugged. “I’m sure the Throne kept your location wrapped up tight. They look to have been camping there for quite some time. They’re probably outside all the facilities.”

Colton figured he had a point. Some reporters had chairs next to their vehicles, and it seemed a section had long been roped off, with pavilions and tables standing.

In a short time, the buses cruised with the third level of traffic above the city. Colton noted that the sky was a little bluer than the day they arrived, and the sun shone a bit brighter. He had learned that the seasons on Vintara only changed slightly. The temperature always remained cool, around 60°F - 70°F.

They were high up, but the ground looked dry and gray outside the city. They passed over rolling plains, with some few shrubberies scattered throughout. And it stayed that way for about twenty minutes before the bus started to descend and structures came into sight.

He knew at once it was their destination. The place was huge. Colton saw four towers marking the connecting corners of four walls. Within the walls, and closest to them were small tube-shaped buildings that looked like barracks. Past them was lots of open ground with other structures scattered throughout. The camp’s main characteristic was the massive white dome positioned directly in the center. The dome was surrounded by the largest cluster of buildings and people, clearly the focal point of the camp.

As they descended, the view of the interior became lost behind the walls. The bus driver, a wiry old man, turned to them and said, “Welcome to Camp Penski.”

The bus reached the surface and got in line behind the other transports pouring through the open gates. As Colton’s vehicle approached, he spotted four guards standing atop the wall. They leaned over the top, pointed down, and talked amongst one another. They looked young, no older than himself, although that meant they could still be ten years his senior. He wondered how they viewed the arrival of Earthlings into their camp.

At least they don’t look angry, he noted.

It wasn’t until they got right up next to the walls that he saw the same blue current of Solara as at the Dulver facility cascading throughout them. It was a subtle display, but when he reached out with his own Solara to feel for it, the power that snapped back at him was overwhelming. A strange tingling sensation pulsed throughout his entire body.

Once inside the gate, the bus headed deeper into the camp. There weren’t many people walking the grounds, but here and there, a few groups of soldiers in the tight-fitting gray uniforms of the Royal Army strolled about. Colton inspected the gray coats and white collars over strange white shirts that looked a mix between spandex and plastic. He realized it might not be much longer until he dressed the same. Besides the soldiers, the only other person was a youth in gray pants, black combat-looking boots, and a dark purple tee. Colton assumed he was another recruit.

The bus continued on, coming up alongside the giant dome he had seen from afar. The height had been deceiving from the sky, but the thing was still massive, the size of a professional arena back on Earth. The whiteness of it stood in contrast to the drab gray of the camp’s soil, walls, and other structures. To Colton’s surprise, it also looked made from some fabric, as if blown up with air.

About thirty yards past the dome, they stopped in front of the second largest building he had seen. It was the only structure with stairs leading up to it. Stern-faced men in uniforms lined the bottom of the wide stairs.

The doors opened, and the buses unloaded. Colton hefted his bag and walked out into the Vintaran air with a hint of reluctance, not liking the look of those men.

“If they shout and spit in my face, this won’t go well,” Morris grumbled.

The soldiers spread out, one walking off to each bus. The man who came up to Colton’s had an older, more grizzled appearance. He said in a raspy voice, “Welcome, Earthlings, to Camp Penski. My name is Lieutenant Ashan. We maintain organization here. You all can start by lining up in an orderly fashion.”

It wasn’t in the prettiest of manners, but everyone from their bus maneuvered around and came together to form a line.

“Good,” the lieutenant commended. “Let me tell you how today will proceed. First, when I receive the word, we will march up these stairs so you can all be addressed by the major of this camp. Following that, we will march back out here, and you can each tell me your names.

“Once I know who everyone is, we will march back the way you came in, to the barracks, and I will lead you all to your new homes. From there, you can settle in and get acquainted with your bunkmates—current members and recruits of this army. After that, someone will come and bring you to be fitted for uniforms and gear and then take you to the armory. No human can be a soldier without the weapon of their choice, so choose wisely. Lastly is dinner and rest. Get it. Come tomorrow, you shall need it.”

A whistle blew.

Ashan spun around and said, “That is our call. Let us move.”

Ace and Colton looked at one another before following.

“That wasn’t too bad,” Colton acknowledged.

“Some manners never hurt anyone,” Ace countered. “A simple ‘please’ would have been nice.”

Tommy grunted. “Yeah, that’s exactly how it should be. ‘Private, please kill that man. Sir, can we pretty please go on leave? Medic, I would be very appreciative if you’d kiss and make this wound all better.’”

Colton smiled while Ace shrugged.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Ashan turned to them and barked, “Ladies and gentlemen, keep this dignified. Follow and proceed in a straight line behind me.” He continued walking, and they all fell into step behind.

Inside, the place wasn’t what Colton had expected. The entire building was one room, one huge hall. Lined recruits in purple and gray filled the lefthand side, people he instantly recognized as Spacelings. He found it easy to tell by their odd hairstyles. Members of both genders had either longer hair shaped and tied in all sorts of tails and buns, or short buzzed styles with different images shaved into the sides and back of their heads.

A Spaceling with a tattoo on his arm also drew Colton’s attention. It was of some beast that emitted a bright green and brown light off of it. Colton noticed others with tattoos on different parts of their bodies radiating with different colors.

His fellow Earthlings gaped their counterparts’ way for a moment before following their lead. They walked in single file to the back of the closest person and lined up in rows across the entire right side. There were gaps left open down the middle of the hall and at the ends of each line. Colton’s group took up an entire row. Lieutenant Ashan placed himself a little distance away at the end of the line, against the wall to their right.

At the front of the room, a few rows of soldiers faced the crowd. Past them was a raised dais where a man stood calmly gazing out at them.

A few minutes went by as the hall filled up. The place was huge. Colton estimated tens of thousands were in there with him. He glanced over at the Spacelings lined on the opposite side. A few shot curious glances his side’s way, some smiled and nodded, but others frowned and gave looks of disapproval. He had assumed and hoped that most of the Spaceling recruits would be more accepting of the Earthlings’ help. Unfortunately, that wasn’t looking to be the complete case.

After five more minutes of standing there, he glanced behind and could no longer see the entrance. But eventually, he heard the doors close and figured the line had finally ended.

Moments after, the man on the dais stepped forward, and a blue glow of Solara surrounded him. He was too far to make out fully, but he was bald and in uniform. There looked to be more emblems on his coat than usual.

“Ladies and gentlemen, recruits of the Universal Throne’s Army, some of you may know of me, others do not. My name is Roja Demoric. I am a Major in the Royal Army and the superior officer of Camp Penski.” As he spoke, he performed a wielding to magnify his voice. His words carried clearly throughout the hall as if he were next to every person.

“Those of you from this solar system have already been here a brief while. Others are from farther away and have just arrived. Let me make one thing clear. Whatever the similarities or differences amongst you all—they no longer matter. We are of one mind here. We act one way and aim to achieve one ultimate goal. We are here to represent and protect our king and our kingdom. We are all here to learn to become soldiers and defend our homes, livelihoods, and families.

“Therefore, our priority becomes doing whatever we must to win the coming war against Quinnero, Oldir, and The Heart of the Flame. There is no doubt that the Army of Flame is on our doorsteps. You Earthlings learned that firsthand. The red monsters pose the biggest threat this universe has seen since the time of the prophets. And the only force to meet or resist them shall be us.”

As he continued, the major became more emphatic with his words. “As of today, you recruits are all the same. You are a man or woman who shall learn to fight. You will learn to defend. Ultimately, we will all be brothers and sisters who put our lives on the line together. We will trust each other and become one. We will be one army to quell the coming red tide.”

The major paused as many in the front cheered. Colton heard a “HOORAH” a couple of rows ahead and recognized the voice as Demarcus’. Other of his planetmen shouted their approval, along with Spacelings on the left side of the hall. Colton felt riled up as well.

“This must be your mindset as we advance. I will allow no less than complete cohesion in my ranks. We have a grand opportunity here, one we will not spoil and waste. You will all obey and follow the rules. You will become acquainted with working with others as a unit. As we go along, your strengths and weaknesses will define you and decide your future from that point on. Some might be prepped for command, while others may be sent to the naval space fleet and given roles on crafts out there.

“No matter the case, if we keep you here long enough, you will engage in three combat simulations. They are tests. The dome you passed coming in is our simulator. There, it will be as if you are thrown into real-life obstacles and war-like situations. The field and location will become what we make, and your enemies will be who we choose. Do not fear. While something you want to avoid, death or severe injury in a combat-sim is not permanent. It only means the test ends for you.”

He held his hand up, blue Solara glowing around it. “But know this, the second and third sims will be pass-or-fail scenarios. We are creating soldiers to ready for war. If we do not feel you can meet our standard, I will not endanger others’ lives by keeping you beside them. In this case, again, you may be asked to transfer to our naval fleet, where less direct combat will be expected. Or you will be sent home. That all depends on what we see in you.”

Colton heard feet shuffling around him.

“Your other superior officers and I will observe and judge throughout this process to decide how and where you best fit into this army, if at all. But the combat-sims will be the most important times, showing us who you truly are. For you Earthlings, the first one is tomorrow.”

Colton leaned his head back in surprise.

“It is sudden, but that is the point. The other recruits all ran theirs the day after they arrived. By assessing you this way, we learn that with no previous training on our part, which amongst you has natural instincts for certain situations. We will learn who has natural raw power and talent. And be you strong or weak, we want to know if your mind can still get you through the trial. Also, in time, we will learn how much you each have grown from the start. By the last combat-sim, we will understand exactly what we have with you all. I do not expect to be let down.”

Colton looked around and saw determined faces amongst those close to him. He held one of his own. This is what we came here for. Now is the time to prove what we’re worth.

The major ended his talk on the combat simulations and explained the average daily grind at the camp. There were all different activities and classes: weapons training, Solara training and conditioning, battlefield strategies, and enemy assessment, the list went on. He discussed regular exercise routines and cleaning and maintenance duties.

He ended his speech with, “You have already shown strength and courage in coming here. More will be needed before the end. Follow our guidance and trust in each other. If you can do that, then by the prophets, we shall make soldiers of you all.”

There was no loud cheer when the major finished, but the speech had an effect. Many people nodded positively to themselves, and there was a new strength and pride in their demeanor. Colton’s fellow Earthlings especially, their backs were straighter, heads held higher. Their overall stature spoke of a newfound confidence throughout.

“Now that’s a good leader,” Ace acknowledged as they walked out.

Tommy looked uncertain. “Yeah, but I think he’s banking on more than he should.”

Colton frowned and asked, “What do you mean?”

Tommy shrugged. “Seems like he thinks we’re all going to mingle right in here. Not all those Spacelings gave us friendly looks.”

Colton ceded the point. “We’ll hold our own if they cause us problems. But let’s not be the ones to start any.”

Tommy’s lips pressed into a straight line but he nodded.

They met the lieutenant back at the bottom of the stairs. He took all of their names down and flipped through a long list. “Okay, women, we go to your side first. Then it is a little more of a walk for you men.”

He headed back towards the way they had come in. Colton and the rest followed in their orderly line over the gray soil. No grass grew within the camp. It was more like hardened clay. They passed the simulator, making him nervous as he thought about the next day.

They walked on mostly open ground, passing a few buildings and what appeared to be an obstacle course, before coming to the first set of barracks. Each one was long and shaped like a tube. They were all numbered. Several minutes later, Colton and his friends strolled into barrack number twenty-two.

The barrack was plain: a large open room with eight cots lined up along both walls and a chest for belongings on each end. Kevin, Eric, Demarcus, and David were already settled in. On one side, the cots were made, while the eight on the other had a folded blanket and pillow resting over them, a clear sign that the other bunkmates had already been there. Colton noted it would be Earthlings on one side and Spacelings on the other.

“So, what y’all think about that simulation thing-a-ma-jig?” Eric asked while they unpacked and made their beds. They followed Demarcus’, who had been to boot camp on Earth, lead.

“Kind of excited about it,” the marine said. “We haven’t really put our Solara to practical use. I’m interested to see how I do with it on the fly, thinking as I go.”

“They could have given us a couple of days to prepare,” Kevin muttered, looking pale.

“Why?” David asked. “It’s not something to prepare for. It’s a pre-assessment test to show our basic strengths and weaknesses.”

That didn’t seem to make Kevin feel any better. “It’d help my mind be a little more prepared. I don’t like being put on the spot.”

Colton had to use the bathroom, which Ashan had told them was across the yard. He grabbed Kevin’s shoulder as he walked by and encouraged, “Don’t sweat it, buddy. It’s just so they can have a read on us. They won’t make it too difficult.” He didn’t know how true that was, but it seemed the right thing to say. It at least made Kevin smile, even if meekly.

Colton headed out to the large outhouse and relieved himself. Walking back, he glanced at the simulator rising in the distance, and his nerves jolted. He shook them away.

Stepping back into the barrack, he froze.

Oh no.

Morris, Eric, and Demarcus stood in the middle of the room, face to face and appearing ready to fight four Spaceling recruits.

36

Aside from the seven ready to clash in the middle of the room, three other Spacelings were sitting on their beds, looking apprehensive. Another stood apart from the apparent argument. And almost in unison, Ace, Kevin, and David sat on their cots waiting to see what happened, while Tommy was standing as well, but a few feet back from the conflict.

Colton looked at Tommy. It was unlike him to leave his friends outnumbered in a confrontation. But Colton agreed with what he was probably thinking. We can’t let things start this way.

He needed to feel the situation out himself. He kept his voice neutral when asking, “What’s going on?”

Demarcus never took his eyes off the dark-haired, largely built guy in front of him when he answered, “These clowns were just busy telling us how forsaken we are.”

The man at the head of those opposing his friends, a blond-haired, green-eyed guy roughly the same age and build as Colton, turned his eyes, which narrowed when they reached him.

Why did that seem familiar? Colton wondered.

“What is your name?” the man sneered.

All it took was one look at the guy’s leering face, and Colton’s thoughts of getting off on the right foot were quickly fading. “Didn’t learn many manners as a child, did you?” he replied.

After a snort from Ace, the Spaceling studied Colton with a glare. “I have seen your picture. You are the one rumored to have wielded on Earth.”

Colton said nothing.

“That is you, is it not?”

“Yeah, that’s me,” Colton was trying to keep his cool, but he instantly disliked the guy.

“Well, did you do what you are saying you did?”

“I haven’t said I’ve done anything.”

“You understand what I mean. Did you wield on Earth?”

His condescending tone didn’t make Colton want to punch him; it made him want to kick his teeth in. “How about you Spacelings show some class. Ask me in a respectful manner, and maybe you’ll get a respectful answer.”

The guy sneered again, but this time followed it up with the sense and presence of Solara. “How about I force you,” he stated with a wicked grin.

That was it. The scenario was the last thing Colton wanted, but he wasn’t going to sit there and be bullied. He kept his anger down to be safe, but he still pulled every ounce of Solara he could to the surface and replied, “You can try.”

For a moment, shock was in the Spaceling’s green eyes. He probably hadn’t expected the wielding in turn from an Earthling, especially with such confidence.

Colton wasn’t planning to attack. He wouldn’t even know how if he had wanted to. But he could throw an energy shield up to defend.

“Brax,” the Spaceling standing apart from the melee called out in a warning tone. “You want to anger Major Demoric the first day they are here?”

“Brax?” Colton repeated, understanding his prior familiarity. The fool’s father had narrowed his eyes on Colton similarly at Gull’s trial. “I see it. You look like him. You’re Gunner Brax’s son.”

Brax sniffed, straightened his back, and answered in an arrogant tone, “Yes. My father told me he had met you. And he spoke of your insolence toward your superiors.”

“Oh,” Ace offered with a taunting smile, “then he must have also told you how Colton shamed him in front of his peers.” Close to six feet tall and with a slightly broader build than Colton, Ace could look intimidating when he wanted.

It seemed like all the blood had gone to Brax’s face. His power welled up again.

The same fellow who had called his name put a hand on his shoulder and warned, “Canter. Do not.”

The newly named Canter Brax looked away and his power subsided. He grumbled, “You are right, Kulik. They are not worth it.”

Colton snorted.

Brax retreated to his cot. “Stay away from us, and we will stay away from you.”

“Yeah, that’ll be likely,” Morris mocked, pointing to the beds on each side, separated by only a few feet.

“Ready up. We have cleaning duties,” the one name Kulik said, gathering up the Spacelings. The three apprehensive ones walked out without saying a word, while Brax and his other three cronies glared as they passed. Kulik was the last out, and his quick look seemed apologetic.

“Ass...holes!” David remarked once they were gone.

“Yeah, exactly what we need to start forming the perfect bond.” Tommy frowned. “This is a mess.”

“I know,” Colton agreed. “It isn’t a coincidence.”

Tommy nodded. “Gunner Brax hated you before he even met you. And you only made that worse. He’s using his son as eyes and ears. He wants to know everything there is about you.”

Colton had realized it as well, but he found himself calm. “Yeah, but what can I do? File a complaint? We’re going to have to deal with it.”

“We can tie him up and throw him into one of these fine-lookin’ chests,” Eric offered. He tapped one and added, “Doesn’t seem like the type of fella anyone would miss.”

Colton smiled but shook his head. “His father would. We just have to try to keep our cool around him. Gunner’s a high-seat. We’ll have a hard enough time making good with the regular recruits out here. Bringing that wrath down on our heads is the last thing we need.”

“You’re their precious Son of the Prophets,” Morris declared. “What will they do?”

“We don’t know that for sure,” Colton reminded him. “And even if I am, that’s all the more reason. We have to be united. I don’t need to fight another war with the government officials I’m supposed to save.”

The door to their barrack opened, and that ended their conversation.

A different Spaceling recruit poked his head in and said, “I am to show you to be fitted.”

The eight of them exchanged looks saying they would finish the talk later.

They followed the recruit and were fitted for uniforms, clothing, and gear. After, they were led to the armory. Inside was a front room where a bear of a man, with spiked blue hair and glasses way too small for his head, sharpened a foot-long knife behind a counter. He kept scraping it up and down against what Colton knew to be a whetstone. A ringing sound came from a closed door to the left. The man wielded a blue fog that outlined the edges and crevices of the door.

As they approached, the man looked up and declared in a booming voice, “Ah, new recruits.” He spotted Colton staring at the door and explained, “Do not mind that. The forge lies back there. I am wielding to keep the heat out.”

He looked around at the eight of them and grinned. “Exciting, exciting, exciting—I love new recruits. My name is Mel. I am the armorer here.”

They all glanced at the forge door when a loud bang, followed by a woman’s curse, emitted from it.

Mel was still grinning. “The Solara keeps out all but sound. I like to hear the ringing of hammer on steel in my armory. I have recruits prepping metal for forging. I cannot be in there too long. It is too hot, and the spikes start to frizzle.” He touched one of the spikes that were his hair to emphasize.

He walked from behind the counter to the open doorway to the right and beckoned, “If you will, please follow me. Let us find out what type of warriors we can make today.”

They followed through the door, down a long hall, and into a large room where Colton’s eyes opened wide. Shelves, hooks, and brackets outlined every inch of wall space. From them, all hung different weapons. Swords, knives, shields, spears, javelins, and axes were just a few of the instruments of warfare. There was everything he could imagine.

“Welcome to my armory,” Mel said, spreading his arms wide. “You might wonder why we carry these weapons when we can do so much by wielding. What will happen if you one day find yourself in a long, drawn-out fight and are beaten down to where Solara-wise, you are depleted? When that happens, a soldier is left with nothing but their physical weapon of choice. It is not uncommon.”

“What good would a weapon be then?” Ace asked. “Your opponent can rip it from your hands with their Solara. Or better yet, scorch you to death.”

“Not so.” Mel was so caught up in explaining that he forgot to smile for the first time. “Everything we have here is a test weapon so you can get a feel for them. Test their weight and your speed and agility in handling them. You will pick what you like, and we will order supplies for the forging. You shall be there when your weapon is created. We infuse the forging with your own Solara, which is critical. Doing so will create a link between it and yourself.”

They all stared at him, confused.

“By doing this, you will never be left defenseless. Your blade or weapon will hold Solara inside of it, always the same amount, no more or less. It is like a natural defense, not only stopping your opponent’s blade but depending on its strength, it can also deflect Solara cast at you.”

“Even if we’re no longer strong enough to wield ourselves?” Colton asked.

“Even if.” Mel grinned again.

“You said, ‘depending on its strength’?” Tommy’s head tilted questioningly.

“Alas, if you meet an opponent that is much more powerful, the blade may not be enough.” Mel looked sad before saying, “Let us discuss what you should look for in choosing.”

He strode to the farthest shelf and explained, “First, you must go by instinct. I understand most of these are not dissimilar from those on Earth. Has there ever been a weapon you have been drawn to? One you have always found fascinating? If so, that is your best place to start because it is as if you already have a connection.

“From there, you must go by feel. If you are drawn to an axe but cannot hold the cursed thing because it is too heavy, that is a poor choice. You want the instrument to feel comfortable in your hands, its weight comfortably balanced with your own.”

He grabbed weapons off of shelves and brackets, holding them up as he described them. “We have spears which are light and agile and suitable for defense, but are not always the best option for an offensive attack. In contrast, we have mauls and hammers, which can cause devastation with one blow but are heavy and slow and not ideal in a defensive situation.

“The style you prefer is the last important step. If you are a brute and think you will be all-out-attack, an axe is probably best for you. Or if you are of slighter build but agile, you might find yourself better suited to taking a defensive approach and waiting for an opening to make one quick and fatal strike. If that is the case, a sword is a good choice, perhaps two short ones.

“Think everything I explained over in your head. Feel for what type of fighter you will be and what is the most logical item to suit that. Analyze it to the fullest. This is one of the most important decisions to make as a soldier.” He spread his arms out wide again. “Now, choose. I am here for any help or questions.”

The eight of them glanced around wide-eyed for a second before dispersing around the room, gleeful as children getting to pick out a new toy.

Colton found himself heading over to the axes. Gull killed TJ with one of these. Wouldn’t it be nice to repay some of his friends in kind? He lifted one off the bracket it hung from and knew instantly it wasn’t the right choice. The thing fell and hit the ground as he could barely hold it up. Looking around in embarrassment, no one paid him any attention. They were too zoned in on their own searching.

What have I always liked?

He knew. He loved watching old samurai movies when he was a boy, especially the swordplay. So he made his way to the sword side.

There he found Ace with a blade in his hand, who turned to Colton with a smile. “That was simple. How do you like this short sword?”

The blade on the weapon was about a foot-and-a-half long. The blunt side had a slight U-arch, while the sharp edge had a small protruding point near the hilt. Both sides ran up to form a razor point at the end.

“Nice,” Colton responded.

Ace grabbed a second in his other hand. “Now, this feels right. I want two just like these.”

Colton didn’t favor the idea of two shorter swords, so he browsed the longer ones, picking one with double-bladed sides up and down, two points protruding off the top. He could hold the weapon, but it was on the heavier side and didn’t feel comfortable. There was another with a hooked hilt whose weight was perfect; he could easily handle it, but the blade’s straightness seemed wrong.

Then he saw it. The weapon had a long simple black hilt. It was bladed only on one side, and like the short swords, it had a slight U-arch. The bladed edge ran up to meet the blunt, forming a sharp point. And the blade was skinny, roughly the same width up and down its three-foot length, slightly thinner up top. The sword felt suitable for the two-handed, side-step approach he pictured himself taking.

He grinned broadly.

In the end, the others were happy with their choices as well. Tommy chose a one-handed spear-axe and a handheld shield. The spear-axe had a metal bulb at the bottom to counter the weight and a long hilt leading up to a sharp spear point. Under the point, protruding from the sides, were two round axe blades. On one side, the rounded half-circle blade was smooth and large, while on the other, it was jagged and a third the size. The handheld shield was shaped like an upside-down teardrop, with its two sides arching to form a point at the top.

Morris chose a spiked mace and a handheld shield of his own. The weapon had a black hilt that turned into one and a half feet of steel before ending with a ball the size of two hands held together, with sharp spiky points covering its entirety. The shield was round and bulbous. He smiled and snarled at Colton before saying, “Mel’s hair inspired me.”

Mel wrote some things down when they finished and commended them on their choices. He said they would need to be present in a couple of days to help infuse the forging of their weapons.

That night, back in their barrack, no more problems occurred. The two sides awkwardly ignored one another. Brax shot a few glares Colton’s way, but he didn’t bother responding.

While lying in bed, his mind raced. He thought about Kyla, his sword, and the jerk sleeping across the room from him. But most of all, he dwelled on the combat-sim he would have the following day. He had no idea what to expect and remained awake a long time, worrying if he’d make out all right.

37

The simulator was massive. Colton stood outside it with his friends, all eight gaping up at the dome now that their designated time had come.

“You don’t think it will be dangerous, do you?” Kevin had held strong up to that point, but with it being moments away, he started to break.

“Shouldn’t be,” Demarcus answered. “They give preliminary assessments like this in the marine corps. There, it’s only drills to show you can handle marine life and ensure you have what it takes in the first place. But it’s nothing too dangerous, and I can’t imagine this will be any different.”

Kevin nodded, looking a little reassured.

“Well, let’s do it, boys.” Morris grinned as he led the way in, always welcoming any new thrill.

The entrance was packed, but that didn’t stop them from again staring in awe when they first entered. A wave of officers, soldiers, and Earthling recruits moved every which way. Behind the crowd, a vast glass window circled the entire dome and offered a clear view of the inside. All along the glass’s outside perimeter were black pods where people sat. There must have been thousands. They all had devices on their head, with a visor that shaded their eyes.

But the actual inside of the glass, the center of the dome, transfixed the group. Floating, buzzing, and sparking together were colored Solara energies and powers. From ceiling to ground, they swirled in whirlwinds. Two colors would clash to form a different one. Some seemed so volatile it was as if electrical currents coursed through them, and others were so translucent that they would ripple and waver before disappearing altogether. The only solid object within the glass was a huge black box hanging from the center of the ceiling, large enough to hold at least fifty people.

Lieutenant Ashan walked up and explained, “The box is the central terminal. It registers everyone’s simulation and records so officers can go back and reassess later. It even plays feeds live. I imagine the major is up there right now, watching certain of you Earthlings as you perform on the spot.”

Colton stared at the box, figuring his feed would play up there shortly. He held back the nerves that wanted to rise.

“I will be showing you to the nearest simulation pods,” Ashan continued. “I need barrack numbers and names?”

“Twenty-two,” his friends all answered before listing off their names.

“Okay, follow me,” Ashan ordered, walking towards the left. The gap between the glass and the dome’s exterior became less in length until they came to a hallway that Colton figured traveled the entire perimeter of the dome, on the outside of the black pods. The hundreds of closed metal doors spaced evenly around were proof enough of that.

Once they passed about thirty pods and the tumult of the entranceway was out of hearing distance, Ashan explained the combat-sim. “The first half is for us to judge your athleticism and physical form. You are not to wield Solara during that phase. Once finished, then you will have the clearance to wield. And from there, we will see how much you have learned and how well you have adapted in your short time being here.”

They continued walking down the hallway, the white of the dome to their left, the black of the pods to their right. As they got a little further, some pod doors stood open, but Ashan kept them moving.

“Word of advice for you all—follow your instincts. This is not an exercise to think too deeply into.”

They came to a section of pods that were all empty. Ashan walked over to an open one and stopped. He waved the first in line, Tommy, over to it.

“Give me your name and take a seat,” he ordered.

Tommy didn’t look at anyone before stating his name and, as if at ease, walking in. The inside of the pod held nothing but a lounging chair.

Ashan raised his hand, and a thin stream of his blue Solara traveled to a little white circle above the door. He said into the energy, “Tommy Wilmont of barrack twenty-two, pod six hundred and thirty-four.”

Tommy leaned back on the seat as the door shut closed, and Ashan’s blue Solara faded.

The lieutenant walked to the next pod and did the same with Ace. Colton thought he glimpsed a little nervousness on Ace’s face. He was staring at the chair hesitantly when the door sealed, cutting off view of him.

It was Colton’s turn.

Ashan spoke loud and clear. “Colton Samson of barrack twenty-two, pod six hundred and thirty-six. I repeat, Colton Samson of barrack twenty-two, pod six hundred and thirty-six.”

Colton frowned as he stepped in, noting that Tommy and Ace’s names hadn’t needed repeating. He glanced back when he heard the door close behind him.

Sitting in the chair, he stared dumbfounded out through the glass. Now directly in front of it, he had a clear view of the mass Solara energies coursing throughout the center of the dome. He needed a minute to shake the effect off before inspecting the pod.

The glass covered the length of the front. The walls to his back, left, and right were all black metal. And in a small alcove to his left sat the headgear he had seen on the other recruits. Outside of the nook, an image displayed what to do. The headgear went on like a helmet. The visor over the front made things a little darker but didn’t block out his view. Colton placed two circular pads connected to the headgear on his temples. He leaned back, and the last thing to do was rest his hands inside pockets on the sides of the chair.

He put them in, and some rubbery/gel material glided over his fingertips, and a metal clamp locked his wrists in place. His first thought was that he couldn’t move from that spot until those clamps undid themselves. And that’s why he started to panic when he heard a hiss, and the glass covering the front of the pod slid open.

The Solara energies slowly crept in through the opening in a dust form of mixed colors, and he worried what would happen if it touched him. Before realizing what he was doing, his own Solara coursed to the surface to throw up a shield. The second the power rumbled in his gut, burned his eyes, and tingled his fingertips, it seemed that was what the outside energies were waiting for. In a rush, swirls of color poured in through the opening and came smashing into him. Once they hit, everything went black.

He never lost consciousness. After a moment, he felt his feet on the ground and realized he was standing. His vision remained dark, but it didn’t take long to understand that it was because he had his eyes closed.

He opened them and almost fell back down on his ass. He was no longer in the dome but, what he imagined, was somewhere on the drab plains outside of the camp’s walls. The sun shined a little more brightly than he had ever seen it do on Vintara, and glancing around, he seemed to be in the middle of some obstacle course. There were walls with ropes to climb and mud pits covered with wire mesh a foot off the ground to crawl under. Off to his left was a pond filled with murky green water, a pole, and a flag in its direct center. And in another spot, a large stairwell led up to four posts that seemed to have something hanging off them; he’d have to get a closer look to know what.

A woman’s voice resonated loud and clear throughout the sky. “The first half of this combat-sim does not allow the use of Solara. Wielding will boot you from the system. We analyze body strength, stamina, endurance, agility, and other abilities. Think of this as a test to not only show us where you stand but also to show yourself where you will need to strive. Start by doing one hundred push-ups followed by one hundred sit-ups as quickly as possible. Begin now.”

Colton looked around, confused for a moment, as he couldn’t locate the source of the voice. And the confusion only intensified when he looked down and noticed he no longer wore what he had in the dome, but instead, standard recruit getup: gray nylon-like shorts and a purple tee.

In a panic, he started to worry if the whole thing was being timed. So he got started, beginning with the push-ups.

He worked out back home, but not as religiously as some people. So he only managed twenty-five before resting a minute. He did twenty-five more, took perhaps ninety seconds to catch his breath, and did another twenty-five. He needed a couple more minutes before finishing the final set.

Breathing heavily and leaning back on his knees, he spent another minute regaining energy before starting the sit-ups. Those he was more adept at, doing sixty before needing only a minute’s rest to complete the last forty.

He had just finished his last one and was lying on his back, sucking in air, when the voice said, “Compose yourself and run a mile around this ground. You will see a track has appeared along the outside perimeter.”

When she said nothing more, Colton looked and noticed the track. Cursing, he got up, took a few slow breaths, and began jogging for about four or five minutes before slowing and walking, realizing he would need to pace himself better. It was early in the simulation, and he breathed far too heavily.

He trotted a couple more minutes, and as his muscles started to ache, he wondered if his body back in the dome felt any of the burn. Since death or injury didn’t carry over, he assumed neither did a workout. “All the sweating and cramping with none of the results,” he grumbled. He ran the final distance before finishing right around the eight-and-a-half-minute mark.

Once completed, the voice was instantly back. “The last part of the non-Solara aspect of this simulation will be a timed trial through the Pit. We will cleanse any aches or tiredness from your body and head. You may begin when you see the red streak in the air.”

A sensation of cold water splashing over him hit Colton’s entire body before his vision lost focus, and he staggered. It only lasted a moment, but once he straightened and his sight returned, he felt refreshed. It didn’t even feel like he ran ten feet, let alone a mile. And his arms and stomach no longer had the slightest burning left in them.

One hell of a trick.

He looked over at the obstacles and realized that it was the Pit. The different stations were numbered, and he hadn’t noticed when looking at them the first time that they were arranged in an orderly fashion.

The sky lit red as if a comet had shot across it, and he ran over to them.

The first obstacle was a large and widespread version of monkey bars, raising in a slight incline on the front half and dropping down the second to form an arch. Colton was tall and lanky, and nothing more so than his arms. So while going down on the back half took a little adjusting, he got through fairly quickly.

Once off, he ran to a ten-foot wall with a single rope to climb over. Now that he was being timed, he wanted to move fast. He had seen movies where the best technique seemed to be to get a running start, jump, grab the rope, pull up to the top, and hop over. So he didn’t stop running and envisioned it perfectly in his head as he leaped and grabbed the rope. But the vision disappeared when he slipped while trying to plant his feet and smashed his knee. He let go, fell to the ground, and cursed.

He tried flexing the dull ache out of his knee before standing up and deciding he didn’t need to run. He jumped, grabbed the rope, and with less force, successfully planted his feet. He pulled with his arms and walked with his legs until he could catch a good enough hold of the top and hopped over.

Thinking again of better pacing himself when he saw the open ground in front, he decided to jog instead of sprinting to the subsequent trial. It almost cost him. He hadn’t noticed the number three sign to his left, and if he hadn’t heard the crack or felt his right heel hit air, he might have plunged to the end of his simulation.

The soil broke apart and gave way underneath him into a dark abyss. He realized it just in time. Once he started running, his last glimpse showed him that the falling pieces of hardened gray mud only fell more rapidly and in bigger chunks, following him. It was perhaps a hundred yards to number four, and the whole way, Colton kept expecting to fall at any moment. Only when he reached the end did he turn around and see that the abyss had been right at his heels and was ten feet wide. A few seconds more, and he might not have made it.

He stood on the pond’s edge with the pole in the middle. He had no option but to catch his breath at that point. As he did, he noticed directions on the number four sign. They read, “Get the flag.” He thought about removing some of his clothes before jumping in but decided against it. The fifth obstacle was on the far side, and he’d waste too much time running back to retrieve them.

He stepped into the water slowly, unsure whether it was a simple swimming exercise or something more. Once he didn’t sense any danger, he dove fully in and swam. Like the last obstacle, the pond was roughly one hundred yards across. He made it a third of the way to the pole when weeds brushed up against him. At about halfway, one got caught and wrapped around his ankle. He kicked to pull it out, and when he couldn’t, he dove under to rip it himself. A scream almost escaped his lips as he realized the weed slowly circled up his leg on its own. Panicking, he grabbed and ripped it in half.

A high-pitched screech emanated from the bottom of the pond, and he froze, noticing the weeds all start to sway back and forth in a rhythm. He came up out of the water and yelled, “What the hell!” Having never been a fan of underwater weeds to begin with, ones that crawled up his leg and moved together in perfect unison crept him out immensely.

The voice in the sky explained, “Even in the oceans of your planet, there are creatures and specimens you know nothing about. These are called algans and are common within some of our waters. They can be deadly. Do not dawdle. Go.”

Colton noticed a rocking effect the plants were having on the pond. It started with small waves moving back and forth both ways across it. But they quickly grew, and he knew if one big enough hit him from the opposite way, it would suck him straight to the bottom and into the heart of the weeds. He shivered and swam for his life.

One moment a wave would give him a boost; the next, another tried to pull him under. By the time he reached the pole, the waves’ surge was so strong that he barely pulled himself onto the small circular platform.

The waves crashed into both sides, forcing him to hang on with all his might to avoid being ripped off. He grabbed the flag, shoved it between his teeth, and, knowing he couldn’t last much longer, tried climbing up the pole. With everything wet, it didn’t work out for him. Now up to his waist, the waves continued to crash, and he again panicked.

He knew there was no hope of swimming against the oncoming wave. He’d make it against maybe one or two rounds, but with force pushing so quickly one way and then the other, he’d eventually be pulled under. So, with barely any strength left to hold onto the pole and the water now crashing against him up to his chest, there was only one option he could think of.

He braced and let an oncoming wave smash past him the way he had come. He took the flag out of his mouth, took a quick breath, and, trying to time it perfectly, jumped as the wave rebounded back, going in the direction he needed. Swimming with all he had left, he stayed as close to the wave’s peak as possible. And when it was about to crash, he spread both arms wide and pulled.

He caught it right, his body gliding along with the wave at a fast speed. He held tightly onto the flag, hoping the momentum would carry him the thirty or so remaining yards. Just when he thought he might make it, weeds brushed against his legs, and he felt them trying to tighten. His mind screamed, but he was moving fast enough that they either slipped off or must have ripped out of the bottom. The next thing he knew, his shoulder bumped into the bank.

He pulled himself up and crawled out of the pond. He spent several seconds lying on the ground gasping for air and shaking the fear out of his head.

When he finally caught his breath, he looked towards the fifth obstacle. It was the mud pit with the wire mesh he had to crawl under. “Screw the damn timing,” he vented before burying his face in the mud and remaining there. A few minutes passed before he pushed himself up and forced his way on.

It was a slow process getting through the pit, as being wet made it more slippery. Also, the pond had drawn a lot of strength out of him, so he found it hard to hold his body up to the precise crawling height that would prevent his clothes or skin from getting snagged on the mesh. He eventually got through. But similar to before, afterward, he sat on his butt, sucking in as much air as possible.

The sixth obstacle, the immense staircase, looked like the final one. Colton judged it to be about three stories up, roughly forty steps. He was too tired to count.

When he made his way to the base of the stairs, his first observation, strangely, was the painted portraits of people scattered on the ground. There were at least a hundred of them.

The voice spoke again. “The final task is to match the old with the young. You can only bring one portrait up at a time. Begin.”

Colton wasn’t sure what the voice had meant, so he shrugged and headed up the stairs, figuring it wouldn’t hurt to snatch a portrait on the way past. As tired as he was, the stairs were a pain in the ass. Once up top, he again breathed heavily and wanted to hit something. There were four poles, each holding a picture of an elderly person. That’s when he realized all the ones at the bottom were younger, understanding.

I need to look for similarities.

Glancing down at the one he had grabbed, it was apparent it didn’t match any of the four up there. He tossed it off the back.

Studying the portrait to his far left, he noted it had blue eyes, hair white as snow, high cheekbones, and an average-looking nose. He made his way to the bottom, which wasn’t nearly as bad as climbing the stairs.

As he sorted through the ground portraits, he figured his best bet was to focus on blue eyes and high cheekbones. Discarding any that didn’t have those qualities, he eventually found one with both.

It could be him, he thought, staring at a blond-haired man. He moved to head back up but spotted another match with brown hair. How was the hairline? Did he have a widow’s peak?

He couldn’t remember, so he held onto the blond and trudged up. There was a slot underneath each elderly portrait. When he tried putting it in, the younger picture didn’t fit. He threw it in frustration.

He was about to wield the other up to himself before remembering he wasn’t allowed. Exasperated, his next thought was to jump off the top, hoping that the breaking of his legs would end the simulation. Instead, he ran back down.

He got halfway there before he realized it would take forever; he needed to go about it differently. So he climbed up again and studied all four elderly pictures in turn.

Which one has the most distinguishing characteristics?

It wasn’t hard. There were the blue-eyed, a green-eyed, and two brown-eyed ones. He figured the green-eyed had to be the easiest. The man’s hair held a hint of black, which would help cut the options, and the hairline was straight. He also had a tiny circular mouth.

Colton got everything he could and again descended. As he searched through the younger portraits the second time, he separated them by eye color, ending up with five green-eyed and dark-haired fellows. With the small mouth considered, that cut it down to two. He didn’t see much difference, so he grabbed one and left the other where he would remember it. He made his way up, adrenaline kicking in as he remembered the whole thing was being timed.

The picture didn’t fit.

“Son of a...” Colton shook his head.

He all but ran back down the stairs, grabbed the second option, and sprinted back up. He got about two-thirds of the way before slowing down and stumbling onto the top. If the picture didn’t work, he’d lose it.

It clicked onto the square underneath the older man, and the pole fell backward off the stairs.

That gave Colton a boost of confidence and more adrenaline. He studied the blue-eyed man again.

It is a widow’s peak!

He bolted down the stairs and spotted the brown-haired widow’s peak portrait he had held earlier. Back on top, it clicked on.

He studied the two brown-eyed. The first has a hooked nose and a ponytail. I’ll have to work with that.

With half the pictures now ruled out, it wasn’t so bad to sort through the rest of the younger portraits. The hook nose brought his options down to about six, and go figure that three had ponytails. Of those three, he couldn’t find any significant differences between them. So when he began worrying about wasting too much time trying to spot something that wasn’t there, he figured he might as well bring one up.

His legs cramped horribly once up top. The picture didn’t fit, and he angrily chucked it off the back. He wanted to sit for a second, but the end was too close in sight. And knowing it was a test of his resilience, he didn’t plan on failing. So he stumbled back down.

He grabbed one at random without even looking at the two other options. It was a slow-moving journey to the top, but it clicked in.

Just one more, he all but prayed. I only have a couple of trips left in me up these stairs.

He studied the last elderly guy. There was nothing distinguishable about him at all. He thought it was the most average-looking person he had ever seen. It gave him an idea.

Once at the bottom, he looked at his pile of remaining options. He grabbed the first one, saw a bold forehead, and discarded it. The second had gigantic ears, and the third had bushy eyebrows, so both he tossed. He continued the trend until he smiled at the only possible choice. Young, he appeared exactly like the old. The only exception was his blond hair.

Colton had nothing left. He dragged himself up the steps and came to sit next to the final pole. He put the portrait in.

As the last pole fell off the back, he lifted his head and screamed, “Yes!”

Once again, everything faded to black.

38

One minute he sat on the platform atop the stairs, and the next, he was in a cave. Torches lit his surroundings, placed into little nooks within the brown rock walls to either side of him. He was sitting as he had been on the stairwell. But where there he experienced aches, pains, and labored breathing; on the cave floor, he once again felt fully rested in a physical sense.

This is insane.

He remembered the aches, the burning in his stomach, and raw scraping of his throat all perfectly in his mind. But when he concentrated on the present, they were gone. He wondered what type of mental effect the instant changes could have on his brain.

The woman spoke again from nowhere, echoing throughout the cave walls. “You have one task here, get out of the caves. You may do so by any means. That includes wielding Solara. Begin.”

Colton frowned at the ceiling. He didn’t know if the voice belonged to anyone currently watching him, but if it did, he had some foul words he would have loved to vent out to her.

Behind him and on both sides were closed-off walls. He had no choice but to move forward into the cave, where it became darker. As he walked down the sandy tunnel, torches remained to provide light, but the distance between them left a lot of shadows on the brown rock to all sides. It continued for a few minutes until Colton came upon another solid wall blocking the path. He threw his hands up in frustration. “What the hell is this? I have nowhere to go.”

Annoyance creeping over him, he stopped to think. There has to be a point to being trapped. This is the Solara half of the combat-sim, so...

Colton spotted a little hole at the bottom of the wall where a sliver of light crept through. The torchlight didn’t reach the ground, so it being relatively dark, the light leaked out of the seemingly brighter opposite side. He used his arms to push at the wall on instinct, but it didn’t budge. He brought his Solara forth, and a higher sense of annoyance hit him. He was able to quell it down and shook his head. Forgot that was there.

Deen had taught them to feel and evaluate objects around them, calling it sensing. While wielding, Colton let his senses expand outward, feeling the sphere of Solara revolving out from him. He came to the wall blocking his way, which surprisingly didn’t contain much energy. His sensing cascaded right past it and out into what had to be open air beyond. He sensed two more sources of power behind it but was unsure what they were.

He focused back on the wall, noting how scattered the energy was. Up near the top seemed a solid block of forces holding together while around the hole, it was so thin Colton barely sensed anything. He figured he could punch through it if he tried hard enough. And the weakness was only clarified when he sensed out to the walls beside him. Those were so compact and tough that their very essence repelled Colton’s sensing back at him.

He concentrated on the hole near the bottom and sent a little burst of his own energy at it, like a flick of the finger in wielding form. The hole broke open wider, going from the size of a penny to that of a fist. Colton smiled and wielded a much larger force of will, like that of a punch. It exploded apart, dust and pieces of rock scattering, leaving an opening maybe three feet in diameter.

He thought to do it again but looked at the top, which was similar to the walls to the sides, and decided against it. He could fit through the new hole. No need to waste strength.

The two sources of energy he had previously been unable to recognize behind the wall were torches, lit brighter than those in the earlier tunnels. He continued to hold onto his Solara, wanting to be sure not to miss anything. As he walked by the flames, he felt the energy they cast off, wavering in a steady rhythm. It hit him before the warmth of the heat did.

Walking ahead and still sensing forward, Colton detected, before he saw, the stagnant pool of water that filled a hollow in the tunnel ground, running the width of the cave. With the events in the obstacle pond fresh in his memory, he had no intention of getting wet again. So an idea came to his mind.

A minute later, he stood in the middle of the pool with arms stretched out, keeping a wide circle of air between him and the thigh-high water. It wasn’t difficult; simply a matter of connecting the energy and pushing the liquid away to the side with his Solara. The pool was so small that the deed barely took him any effort, and none of the water touched him. Once he walked through to the opposite end, he smiled.

Continuing down the single tunnel, he came to a spot where the torches had burned out. After the incident at Dulver that resulted in him wielding for the first time, the instructors made the wielding of flames one of the last things for them to learn. It had taken a lot of practice and healing of a few minor burns, but Colton could now wield a globe of flame about the size of a baseball. He did so, a warm and tingling sensation coursing inside of his body as he did. It supplied plenty of light.

And that was a good thing because the tunnel split into a “Y” formation. Deen had taught them to preserve their energy whenever possible, but Colton didn’t like the idea of sitting in the dark tunnel, not even for a second. So while maintaining the flame, he sensed out once again, first down the fork to his left. He didn’t sense much, a faint energy source a good way down.

He turned to the right. That ended quickly. At most fifty feet ahead, a solid mass of wall was blocking the way. He decided he’d still check it out just to be sure of his sensing abilities. When he came to a collapsed section of tunnel, filled to the top with giant boulders, he allowed himself a satisfied little nod.

It wasn’t long before he stumbled upon a surprise when walking down the left fork. He spotted the pile of rags from a distance, but when they jumped up and took the form of maybe the ugliest creature Colton had ever seen, he took a few steps back.

Only about two-and-a-half feet tall, the creature had stunted legs and arms, a dark green skin tone, and a disgusting face covered with warts. All of which did nothing to hide the hideous four-inch long pointed nose.

Colton frowned. Why didn’t I sense it with my Solara?

The creature stared at him and squeaked, “Lo, friend.”

He squinted at the thing that stood ten feet away before responding, “Hello.”

“How you come our tunnel?” It had a scratchy and high-pitched voice.

Colton craned forward to make out its speech better before asking, “What was that?”

It narrowed its eyes at him, a tint of yellow mixed with white, and repeated in irritation, “How you come our tunnel?”

“How did I come by your tunnel? I’m not sure, to be honest.” He arched an eyebrow at the creature’s hideous form. “Now, I don’t mean to be rude here, but what are you?”

It glared at him. “A grohl, dimwit. Big bad human think better than us?”

Colton leaned back in surprise and put a hand up. “No, that’s not—”

“Give payment or leave tunnel,” the grohl spoke over him.

Colton blinked. “I don’t have any money, if that’s what you mean?”

The grohl again narrowed its eyes and growled, “Leave.”

He shook his head in disbelief. “There’s nowhere to go back there. The other passage collapsed.”

“No problem to me.”

Colton felt mental exhaustion kicking in as the combat-sim started feeling like forever to him. “What happened to me being your friend?”

The grohl shrugged. “No money, no forward.”

“Well, what do you want me to do? There’s nowhere to go back there.”

“Die, me no care. We will smell and eat body.”

“Okay,” Colton said, nodding his head slowly. He had just about enough of the creature. “Now, here’s the deal, little guy. I’m going ahead, whatever that entails. So you can get your Santa’s-little-helper-from-hell’s ass out of my way, or I’m very sorry about this, but I’ll move you out of my way.” He strode forward.

The grohl snarled and pulled a knife from behind its back. “I eat testicles. They good.”

Colton stopped and blinked before scrunching up his face in disgust. “What? Did you say you were going to—”

The creature moved, and with eyes on the knife, Colton acted quickly. Still holding onto Solara, he sent a force of energy at the thing more significant than he had at the earlier wall. His body stiffened when the Solara hit the grohl and evaporated into it, doing absolutely nothing.

The creature smiled. “Solara not touch grohl, stupid.”

Colton was thrown off and unable to think straight. So when the grohl raised his knife into the air and Colton threw his arm up along with a wielded energy shield, the knife went right through the shield, biting into the flesh of his forearm. He screamed and wrenched away, the force of it dislodging the weapon from his skin and the grohl’s grasp.

He grabbed his arm, which was on fire, and gritted his teeth. Shit, that hurts.

The grohl moved to grab the knife now at Colton’s feet.

He did the first thing he thought and kicked the little bastard in the face.

The creature cried out and landed on its side.

Colton let his bloody arm drop and snatched the knife with his other hand. He blinked back tears of pain doing so, knowing he couldn’t leave the wounded arm dangling.

The grohl, with a newly forming dark bruise on its forehead, looked at Colton with the knife and gave him another snarl before turning and bolting down the tunnel.

Great.

Colton checked the wound. A few inches up from his wrist, a nasty-looking gash ran down the side of his arm. By the way it opened up, he knew it was deep. There was a lot of blood, and not much he could do about it. Even if he wasn’t awful when it came to healing with Solara, it required the energy of one going into another, so no person could heal themselves.

His only option was to follow the grohl. And with his arm bleeding like it was, he knew he had better get out quickly if he wanted to finish the combat-sim. He rushed down the tunnel, wielding his power to be ready for anything unexpected. Unfortunately, it made the wound worse. It didn’t increase the pain, but Colton could feel how much energy and stamina he was losing with the blood loss.

He saw open light ahead and ran, trying to hold his arm as still as possible. Just before reaching the source, his arm killing him to the point of collapsing, he grudgingly, and very difficultly, took his shirt off. He had never made a sling before, so he ripped the thin fabric, pain running up the wounded limb as he did. He tied it end to end before carefully wrapping it around his neck and arm. It wasn’t perfect, the arm dangled a little, but it was better than nothing.

He continued and stepped out into the light before stopping in his tracks. A dozen grohls stood facing him, knives and miniature spears in hand. One was his buddy, smiling when it said, “All eat testicles now.”

Colton grimaced, realizing he had heard right the first time. The hell with that.

He looked around. The grohls were spread out in a half circle, blocking any way of getting by. They all stood in a large chasm lit mainly by a huge bonfire burning from a pit in the center. To his excitement, an opening on the opposite end seemed to have natural light pouring out of it.

How to get there?

To the left was the mouth of another tunnel, and to the right, nothing but a wall. He only had one thing to work with.

Yahtzee.

The cave wasn’t overly huge, so the fire burned close behind the grohls.

My Solara can’t touch them, but let’s see if what it creates can.

He looked back at the grohls, ranging two to three feet in height, not one with less than a four-inch long pointy nose and the cleanest face with five nasty warts. “Let me ask you something?” he said to the one he kicked.

It narrowed its eyes at him.

“When you eat those...you know, do you like them raw, or...” he emphasized the last word, “roasted?”

Where the grohl’s eyebrow should have arched in confusion, a massive wart went up instead.

Colton wielded his green energy shield around himself and blew a massive gust of air into the heart of the fire, praying that the overload of oxygen would have the desired effect.

The resulting explosion from the pit was even larger than he had hoped. The force flung some of the grohls through the air, smacking against walls, while the flames licked around others and sent them spinning and rolling onto the ground.

Unfortunately, what Colton hadn’t thought of was that while his shield would stop the fire, it wouldn’t stop the grohls. Three of them came hurtling at him. And his buddy was the one who flew straight, passing through the shield and colliding to knock him back into the tunnel. Colton found himself on his back, seeing stars across his vision as his arm throbbed in piercing pain.

Luckily, he fought through the burning in his arm and cleared his head before any of the creatures did. He was up and back out into the chasm before any of the little monsters got their bearings.

He had caused some damage. The grohls that flew into the walls were unconscious on the ground, while the burned ones lay and moaned in agony. However, a couple of the more unscathed began slowly rising to their knees.

Colton dashed for the other side, yelling, “Not my balls!”

He emerged into the opening mouth of the cave and tunnels. A steep ramp rose up and out, where a waterfall cascaded down the outside, covering the exit. Colton froze when he noticed four more grohls at the top.

They spotted him and began running down the rocky ramp.

Sometime during the explosion he lost the knife he had earlier acquired. He noted that having and knowing how to use a physical weapon would be very handy at that moment. But he thought of the weapon he did have and smiled.

A little alcove was in the wall to his right, so he crammed into it, groaning as his aching arm bumped the rock. The grohls were about halfway down the ramp, knives in each of their hands. He looked past them and up at the waterfall. It was a decent distance but not out of reach.

He focused on the entire opening, and digging deep into his mind and body, he wielded up a solid force of air that cut off the water’s flow out past the entrance. The water cascaded over the sides of the block he created and half fell into the cave, down the ramp.

It’s not fast enough, he thought in a slight panic.

Deen had taught them how to not only form different things with the power but also how to control them. So with a simple thought and a small force of will, Colton tilted the block of air, so it leaned down into the cave. The result was all the water pouring in, coming in a mad rush.

The grohls realized what was happening, but too late. The front wave was light, and when it overtook them, they slipped on the wet rocks underneath before tumbling down. Then the full tide hit and began violently pushing them.

Colton, in his nook, turned just in time to see the grohl he initially encountered, a second bruise formed on its face, staring at him with a spear in hand not five feet away. It hadn’t been paying attention to what was going on.

“No hiding, stupid,” it said before a wave a foot higher than the little thing pounded into it. The wave, grohl, and his four friends vanished back into the room from which the creature had come.

Colton was untouched. He had gotten ready to release the block and throw a shield over himself if needed, but the cave was wide enough that only his legs got a little wet. He stared at the giant slide he had made. Talk about being able to make something out of nothing.

He cut off the block and sprinted up. The rocks were slippery. He tried to wield the water to the side as he had earlier in the tunnel, but with such a thin layer left over, it wasn’t easy. So he slipped and dragged his way to the top, his wounded arm losing feeling. Once up, he took a second to glance back down. Whatever had happened inside the room with the pit, nothing had come out after the wave.

Did I kill them? He didn’t like the little bastards, but he still felt a stab of guilt at the thought.

He shook his head. Screw it. this isn’t real.

He looked at his arm. Somewhere in the action, he lost the sling, and the whole thing was numb and smeared with blood.

I really hope it’s not real.

He dove into the waterfall, ending the combat simulation.

39

Colton awoke in the pod with a pounding headache.

He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the chair. Besides a slight tingling sensation running through the arm he had wounded in the combat-sim, one that gave him the urge to keep itching where the wound had been, the rest of his physical body didn’t seem to feel any aches or pains. But he had the headache, which was only part of an overall mental exhaustion.

He removed the helmet, and the door hissed open behind him. He rubbed his temples before getting up and walking out. Once in the hallway, he noticed that the pod Tommy had gone into was empty, but the surrounding others remained sealed. Tommy was nowhere to be seen, and Colton’s mind was too jumbled to wait for anyone else, so he staggered back to his barrack alone.

He had no way to keep track, but his gut told him it had been a few hours within the simulator. And even though the sky was the same constant overcast, the sun looked about in the right location behind the purple clouds to match that intuition.

The walk seemed like an eternity, but he somehow made it to the barrack. Inside, Tommy was passed out on his cot. David was there as well. The rest, he figured, were still at the dome.

Sleep was tempting, but there was time for that later. Instead, he walked over and whacked a pillow against the two guy’s heads. They both woke with a start.

“Did your guys’ begin with an obstacle course? Some normal military stuff mixed with abnormal ponds and the ground caving in from under you?”

Tommy tried shaking the grogginess out, scratching at his unkempt short black hair, before mumbling a confirmation.

David frowned and muttered, “Yeah, I got sucked under the damn water in the pond.”

Colton raised his eyebrows.

David explained, “One minute, weeds were holding me down and I was sucking in water; the next, I was lying on the far bank, able to breathe again. It was freaky.”

“What about your second part?” Tommy asked. “When you could wield Solara?”

“Some cave,” Colton answered, “filled with weird-ass gremlin-looking bastards with knives.”

“And a disturbing infatuation with balls,” David added. He shook his head with a bewildered expression on his face.

Tommy looked perplexed. “Yeah, what the hell was that about?”

David responded, “When leaving the dome, I overheard an officer telling someone that the grohls are real creatures.”

“Then we all had the same,” Colton concluded. “Why in the Solara wielding half would they put us up against foes it can’t touch?”

Tommy stared at the ground, looking lost in thought for a moment before he replied, “Could be a few things. Perhaps they hoped to throw us off, see how we reacted under pressure, without any knowledge, and on pure instinct. I imagine if we could hit the grohls with the power, they wouldn’t have been too difficult.”

David sat up. “And they wanted to teach a simple lesson from the start. Solara alone isn’t always going to get us out of everything.”

Colton nodded.

“So, how did you get out of the caves?” Tommy asked.

He looked up and was about to answer when Demarcus, Eric, and Ace came bustling into the barrack, eager expressions on their pale faces.

Ace spoke directly to Colton. “The Throne’s made an official declaration. They’ve clarified to the public that it’s an Earthling they believe wielded on Earth. It looks like they’re banking all their chips on you, my man.”

Colton dropped onto his cot. Before it had all been rumor and speculation, the Throne neither confirmed nor denied it. And sure, that forced him to tell all of his friends about Willick’s belief, but he said little to anyone else. He enjoyed the feeling he’d get when some of his planetmen would look at him and swell up with pride. However, he didn’t like the nervousness it also left inside him. Nothing had been one hundred percent proven. There was still a chance it was all a mistake.

Demarcus grabbed his shoulder. “They didn’t come out and name you The Son. Nothing once mentioned your name. They only clarified that after hearing Willick Runebar’s account of the Night of Enlightenment, they believe an Earthling wielded that night on Earth.”

But my name has already been thrown out there by the media. Most will know who they mean. He began to ask, “How’s the public react—” but was cut off when Canter Brax stormed in with three of his cronies in tow.

“What is the truth?” Brax demanded.

Colton frowned at him. Man, he’s got his father’s sneer down perfectly.

“Well, Earthling? What is it?”

Colton reminded himself that while he may view Brax as a douche, he was still someone on Colton’s side in the big scheme of things. So he blew out a breath, tried to put on an even face, and replied, “Listen, I swore not to talk about this. Until they make an official announcement and throw out official names and details, I still hold to my word.”

Brax probably already knew more than most others. But Colton had no way of knowing to what extent, so he would trust the Throne and their judgment. If they didn’t want the complete information released, he wouldn’t chance having that happen, and certainly not to appease someone like Canter Brax.

Unsurprisingly, Brax wasn’t happy. “You are on my planet, Earthling. You are being taught by my fellow Vintarans. You owe us all the truth.”

Colton wasn’t sure how to take that. On the one hand, Brax had a point there. But on the other, he had enough to worry about when it came to his own people questioning him daily. So regarding the locals and other regular civilians of the universe, he felt they were the Throne’s business.

Even though he was agitated by Brax’s rudeness, he wanted to stay respectable. “Don’t you trust that the king and the high-seats are doing what’s for the best? That they’re giving you as much as they can at the current moment?”

Brax wasn’t of the same mindset. “No, I do not. Truthfully, I think they have lost their wits. People are scared. When speculation circulated that another besides The Heart of the Flame wielded on Earth, half of us regained hope, while the other half were skeptical of the truth and validity of it. Now they come out and say it was an Earthling who wielded. Those skeptics who were not already fleeing to the Quinnero System sure as the prophet’s wrath are now.”

How can these people be so biased? How can such an advanced society still be so immature and uncivilized? Colton asked those questions to himself, but he had known the simple answer all along. They’re human.

His exhaustion was kicking in again. “Well, ask your father about the truth. I told you, I’m sworn to secrecy.”

An expression of worry and hurt passed across Brax’s face. But he shook it away and said, “He is not supposed to talk about what goes on in the royal meetings.”

Colton read right through that. Yeah, I’m sure he’s not. But usually, he still does with you. He mulled it over. But not this time? Interesting.

“Then I think you’ll have to put some faith in him and the Throne. Just like we Earthlings had to.”

Canter didn’t speak. He didn’t have a chance to. The big-built, dark-haired guy next to him roared, “Go jump into a black hole, Forsaken. The Throne tried to help your cursed planet, but all it accomplished was to have your poison spread to us. Just go home, fools. You will doom us all into—”

Colton hadn’t seen Morris walk in. But he saw Morris’ right fist smashing against the big moron’s cheek and bringing him to the ground.

Morris was short, but he had a solid mix of fat and muscle behind that swing, even if he looked the worst for wear. His usually trimmed head and beard seemed unkempt, and there were bags under his blue eyes. Colton figured the combat-sim hadn’t been kind to him.

“Idiot,” Morris said before a storm of Brax’s power slammed him to the ground.

Colton acted instantly. They hadn’t learned many ways to fight or defend with the power. Deen had pretty much stuck to the everyday conventional uses. But Colton’s instinct was all he needed, simply envisioning what he wanted to do in his mind. He could see the press of Brax’s Solara holding Morris down and so pictured in his head a wedge of his own power, razor-sharp at the end but flat across and with some thickness towards the middle, around the size of a piece of plywood.

It was like thinking it, did it. He watched his slightly lighter shade of green punch into Brax’s darker, and it seemed to slide in easily. It didn’t stop Brax’s power but cut it off from pinning Morris down. And Morris must have felt it lift when he rolled out from underneath the green inferno above him.

Before anything else could happen, a shout of “Enough!” brought them all to a halt. The Spaceling who had prevented a confrontation the day before, Kulik, stood in the doorway. “What in the darkness of space is wrong with you all?” he asked.

No one answered. Colton dropped his wedge of power, allowing Brax’s to surge forward and slam into the floor before he followed suit and cut it off.

Kulik looked ready to kill when he declared, “This will be the last time any such thing happens.”

One of Brax’s cronies said, “You do not order us around, Kulik.”

Kulik shot a venomous glare back at the speaker. There was nothing distinguishable about his brown eyes, brown hair, and typical facial features, but his glare made Colton nervous.

“You are right. I do not. But I will stand beside you when we go to war in a few months. Standing with you on one side”—he pointed at Colton and company—“and them on the other.”

He turned his attention to the entire room. “We are about to become brothers in arms. We are not enemies. You do not have to like one another, but you must come to respect and trust each other.

Kulik focused on Colton’s side of the room. “You Earthlings have had little enough time to learn to wield. You will need all your concentration to be on your lessons while you are here. I will not die due to your incompetence.”

He shifted his gaze to Brax. “And Canter, what did I tell you? These Earthlings will fight the same soldiers of the Flame as you. If you cannot accept that, then leave the army. Otherwise, get control of yourself. You might lead us one day. And I sure as the prophet’s wrath will not die due to your stubbornness.”

When he finished, the barrack was silent.

Colton decided to speak up. “I agree that we will eventually have to work together. But we’re not asking these guys to be assholes to us. Respect is earned, not given.”

Kulik arched an eyebrow and pointed at the bulky Spaceling Morris had punched. “Your friend initiated the violence.”

Colton frowned at the guy sitting on the ground with a swollen eye. He couldn’t argue with that.

Kulik let out a long breath and advised, “Everyone ease down. Go to your cots, do what you need to do to free your minds.”

Feeling like scolded children, they all followed suit.

Kulik followed Colton over to his cot. He lowered his voice and said, “It is Colton, right? I have heard all about you, but I will not press you to indulge me with what is truth and fiction. No matter what, I have put myself in service with the Throne and the Army, so my only concern is to make the situation the two have brought us into more manageable. Canter, deep down, is a good guy. He will be a great battle leader someday.”

It was Colton’s turn to arch his eyebrows.

Kulik let out an exasperated sigh. “I know he seems like a fool right now. But he is stubborn and letting that, his youth, and his anger all get the better of him. You will see when you step on the field. Regarding battle strategy, he has more potential than anyone here. His father was a general, and he raised his son to be the same.”

“I’m surprised he listens to you,” Colton replied. He didn’t picture Canter taking orders from people who weren’t his superiors.

Kulik glanced over at Brax. “I am his older cousin, more like a brother. Many within this camp look up to us. We have influence, and that is why I am talking to you right now.”

When he turned back, Colton urged, “Go on.”

“Again, I have heard about you. And it is easy to tell that your fellow planetmen look to you for leadership. Mutual trust and understanding among us is essential. I can influence many on my side toward that mindset. I am hoping that perhaps you can do the same for yours. You and I work together, and some of us may actually come out of this coming war alive.”

Colton reflected on what Kulik had said earlier about needing their full attention on their lessons and training. They would all be at war and maybe have seen battle within a year. That required all of their focus. “I can try. I have been trying. I feel the same way as you, but it doesn’t make it any easier to accomplish.”

Kulik grunted before acknowledging, “Certainly not. But I believe it is possible if we take a subtle approach.” He looked around at the eyes drawn to the two of them. “Most of us not from Earth have been here a few weeks. And to not get ahead, we have done mostly nothing but exercise and cleaning. It has been frustrating. We are about at the point of wielding all out as well. So give it time and try to be patient. That is all I can ask of you. We will talk soon.”

Colton watched Kulik walk back over to his cot, down on himself for letting things get out of control. But talking with a level-headed Spaceling had also given him confidence towards the future. While it would be a tough road ahead, Kulik had him agreeing that it wasn’t impossible. They could make it work. They had to.

40

Waking before the sun rose, Colton entered the “Trek,” where he and the other recruits were to run around the outside perimeter of Camp Penski’s walls. And where the landscape seemed primarily flat on the camp’s interior, unnaturally large mounds and hills rose steadily up and down long lengths of their path.

Colton kept a good pace to begin. But halfway around the camp, he coughed and slowed to a walk like many others from Earth. Meanwhile, the Spacelings kept a steady pace throughout, constantly ahead. He tried to stick together with his friends, but officers pushed and prodded them the entire way. Eric fell, and Colton circled back to help him up, only for Morris to drop to his knees. Colton was forced to push ahead.

Afterward, already exhausted, Colton entered the “Pit.” Comparable to a massive outdoor workout area mixed with an obstacle course, there were different stations with more officers pushing people on.

Colton smiled when Demarcus jumped on the pull-up bar and performed twenty-five without breaking a sweat, and Tommy climbed the rope wall and hopped over quicker than many of the Spacelings had. But then he glanced at a different obstacle and frowned. Kevin pushed a padded pole attached to a sled up a slight incline, struggling for every inch while others moved their own quickly by on either side. An officer mocked him the entire way.

Frustration overtook Colton as he struggled in his own areas. On the same upside-down “V” shaped monkey bars in the combat-sim, with the officer pushing him and getting in his head, he rushed and fell off. He got up, shook an ache from his leg from landing awkwardly, and completed it on the next turn while taking his time.

Also, he had trouble weaving through a course of multiple fat-spinning poles. They looked like punching bags, with skinnier padded bars protruding from their sides. As he sidestepped his way around, trying to avoid the bars, one spun around and whacked him in the face. It left a bruise under his right eye.

When finished, even with the chill Vintaran air, he walked back to his barrack sweating profusely.

The rest of the day consisted of class briefings, Solara lessons, and chores. That night, Colton grumbled his way through washing his clothing and boots before having to clean his barrack that those same clothes and boots made a mess in. He followed that with dinner, where he and his barrack-mates were assigned to clean the kitchens afterward.

When the responsibilities were finally finished, he plopped face-first on his cot.

Tommy sat on his own and began rubbing his feet. “Those krugal creatures we learned about in class were pretty interesting.”

Morris looked at him askance. “Interesting? They creeped me the hell out. If an alien has to have a large bulbous head, round black eyes, and pale white skin, keep them tiny. Not eight feet tall with large claws on the ends of their hands and feet, and sharp pointy teeth.” He shivered.

Colton lifted his head and piped in, “That was cool learning about the energy shield, though. When Kyla and I would wield them, I never thought to use it to attack.”

Lieutenant Ashan had been their instructor in their Solara lesson. He taught them to hold their power in shield form, like the dome Colton and Kyla had erected at Dulver, and push it outward toward an opponent as a weapon. Colton got a nervous feeling that might have been precisely what he had done to Gull the night of TJ’s death.

“Would have been cooler if the Spacelings didn’t spend half the time mocking how little we know,” Morris grumbled.

Canter and his Spaceling side bustled into the barrack, and the conversation ended.

Colton curiously watched them grab fresh clothes and weapons from their chests and head out with mocking grins.

Kulik held back from the others. “Today was a good day,” he said. “It showed me a lot.”

Colton raised his eyebrows. “Oh yeah? What? You guys are more in shape, ten steps ahead of us in wielding, and know everything about the universe, whereas we know almost nothing?”

Kulik shrugged. “The difference between us is not all it seems to be. Give it a month, and you will run the Trek as well as us. In less time, we will learn new things for both our people. And as for Solara, you might not be as used to it, but I can tell you Earthlings have the same capabilities. Eventually, we are all going to catch up to one another.”

Colton thought about that and nodded. It was a hopeful notion.

He looked at the door and asked, “Where are you guys going, anyway?”

Kulik smiled and twirled a knife around his fingers. “Weapons practice.”

41

Colton awoke the next day to Mel, the armorer’s voice. The big man poked his spiky blue head into the barrack and announced, “Wake up, Earthlings. Tonight after dinner, come to the armory. We will forge your weapons.”

Colton stared half-asleep at the door after the man departed. When he snapped to it and saw that every Spaceling was up and dressed, he cursed before following suit. He rolled off the cot feeling all the aches and pains from the previous day.

After another grueling trip through the Trek and Pit, he spent a lesson failing miserably to heal a wilted purple plant. He followed that up with another class briefing led by Major Demoric.

As Colton and the others settled in, Demoric announced, “From this moment on, everyone in this room will be a part of V-Company or Vintara Company. This is who you will study, work, and train with at the camp.”

Colton assessed those around him. It seemed an even number of Earthlings and Spacelings, though it was becoming tough to tell with everyone dressed in basic recruit uniform: purple coats over gray pants. Even amongst those who he figured were Earthlings, besides his barrack-mates, there weren’t many familiar faces. Camp Penski was huge, and they had inter-mixed those from different facilities.

“Today, we will learn about the ‘Twin’s War,’” Demoric continued. “It was a brief confrontation between the planets Bantel and Lizel in the Sister System. At the time, the two leaders of the Sister planets got into a quarrel over a shared lover. Being rivals and sleeping with the same influential figure was enough to drive their forces to war.

“It was short, with only a few minor skirmishes fought, mostly stalemates. The Sister Supremes’ anger quickly cooled, and they found common ground in the fact that the man had deceived and slept with both of them. They had him executed and signed a peace treaty.”

“Poor bastard,” Ace muttered.

“There was one specific skirmish to discuss which can benefit you all,” Demoric explained. “Bantel is known for its massive jungles. Thick, moist, and humid, they are not a place you want to get lost. And unfortunately for a company of Lizellians, they did just that when their crafts were shot down short of a Bantellian town they aimed to take.

“The company’s captain regrouped the survivors on the ground, but he found himself in a dilemma. The town was small, so the captain was confident he could take it with the men he had. But they had been shot down miles short. And with the thick overgrown jungle all around, they would not find it until they stepped right out in front of it.

“The captain worried because he knew the longer he took to locate it, the more of a chance the town would receive reinforcements. And if that occurred, reaching their objective became unlikely. So he split his men into four platoons to recon, believing they would find it quicker. It was a fatefully dreadful decision.”

The major began pacing around the room. “It was the Bantellians’ home, they may have been small in numbers, but they knew the terrain. They could hide in the tall trees of the jungle for days and never be seen. So they were able to root out each platoon one by one. The only platoon to reach the town was the captain’s, and his soldiers only had time to glimpse it before being killed or made prisoners.

“The captain’s decision ended the lives of most of his soldiers and doomed the mission. So let me ask all of you, what should he have done differently?”

To Colton’s dismay, but not surprise, Brax was in the group. He instantly raised his hand and got the nod. “The captain should have kept them together, sir.”

“And I am sure you understand why, Canter,” Demoric responded. “But does anyone else?”

Demarcus raised his hand and was chosen to speak. “They were in an unknown terrain with unknowable hazards, sir. The captain knew that even if set upon, he had enough men to hold their ground against the force from the town. They weren’t necessarily vulnerable until he split them up. He should have kept them together and gambled on finding the town before the Bantellian reinforcements arrived. Once they were shot down, that became their only chance.”

Demoric smiled and praised, “Excellent answer. Did you have military experience back on Earth, Recruit?”

Demarcus nodded. “Sir, yes, sir.”

“Fantastic. I would like to have a discussion with you one day. The tactics and strategies of Earth warfare have always been a curiosity of mine. Perhaps I can even learn a thing or two to put to use out here.”

That pleased Demarcus and others from Earth.

“Now, let us return to the advantages and disadvantages of splitting soldiers…”

When the class ended sometime later, Colton had dinner and headed for the armory with his friends. He was excited to forge his sword and ecstatic to learn to use it.

Mel greeted them from behind the front counter. “I hope you lads are ready. This is one of the more exciting moments of your life. Some of the greatest wielders in history never needed to perform more than one infused forging. They used the same weapon throughout their entire lives.” He held up a piece of paper and squinted behind his poor-fitting glasses before reading, “First up, Colt-on.” He looked at the group of them. He didn’t seem to remember who was who.

Colton stepped forward, thinking, At least everyone doesn’t know who I am.

Mel waved his hand at the forge door. It swung open, and a tidal wave of heat hit Colton in the face. Behind the door stood another straight hallway with rooms that protruded off both sides. He heard the sounds of clanking and ringing metal, and orange glows lit out from many of the doorways.

“Second door on the left, Colt-on. Good luck. Have fun.”

Mel moved on to calling Kevin’s name, so Colton strode uncertainly into the forge. He glimpsed into the first two rooms he passed. In both, the only light came from a large brazier set in the middle of the rooms. Benches lined the walls, and on them sat tongs, hammers, anvils, and all the necessities. One room was empty, while another had a man in a dark-stained blue apron lounging on a crate, his legs up on a stool, reading a book with moving pictures on the cover.

Colton came to his room, hesitated outside the door, and peeked in. It was much the same with a brazier and forging equipment. He stepped in and jumped when he found someone standing to his immediate left. He became even more surprised when he realized it was the camp’s Major wearing the blue apron of a forger.

Roja Demoric displayed a hint of a smile when he said, “Do not look so surprised. Before joining the Army, I was a blacksmith’s apprentice.” He stepped over and held his hand out. “Nice to finally meet you one-on-one, Recruit.”

Colton shook it. He didn’t squeeze too hard, and neither did the major. He liked that. In his opinion, people who constantly left your hand feeling like it was broken either thought way too highly of themselves or always imagined they had something to prove.

He had never had a close and personal experience with a military superior before. He wasn’t sure how to act and felt a little sheepish. “Nice to meet you too, sir. How, um...what would you like me to do to get started?”

The major beckoned to the brazier. “There is steel in there that needs to heat. We have a moment.” He pointed to a stool near the opposite bench. “We will start by talking.”

Colton grabbed the stool and sat.

Demoric took a seat on one of his own. His face had a stern look, although Colton always thought that of bald people. A small scar rested over his left eyebrow. “How do you like Vintara?” he asked.

Colton paused, hesitant to say what he felt. “It’s...different.”

When he said no more, Demoric’s eyebrows rose. “That is it, Recruit, just different? That does not even answer the question.”

Well, if the guy wants honesty.

“The planet itself is dreary, which is taking a little getting used to. And as for the culture and people in the city, many seemed so gloomy and full of despair. Now I understand I’m biased, basing that mostly off the protestors, so maybe it isn’t the case. But that’s the impression I got. We Earthlings seem happier and friendlier, and that’s saying something. I guess there’s not the color and life I expected from this place.”

When finished, he froze, shocked at how blunt he had been.

And the major’s stern face said he didn’t respect the take. “As for the people, do not be quick to pass judgment. They have been on hard times for a while, and now their king and government tell them war is on the horizon. A war that, by many reports, declare us fighting against the Son of the Prophets that we all dreamed would lead us. Considering that, I am proud of my fellow Vintarans for not completely falling apart.

“And regarding Vintara itself, I see how it may seem dreary compared to other planets. But when you grow up here, it is a cozy and comfortable home. When I return from being away for an extended period, the overcast skies feel like a safety net, protecting me from the evils beyond my planet’s atmosphere.”

He turned a scowl on Colton. “What did you expect, Recruit? Did you imagine this would be as simple as a prayer to the prophets? Were you hoping for a run through a field of wildflowers?”

Colton shook his head and met the man’s gaze. “I hoped we’d come to a welcoming world out here, where we’d see and learn the best of ourselves and our potential. I expected a more civilized society that wouldn’t mistreat a group of others based on where they were born or what they looked like. I expected better of your planet because of your technology and capabilities with Solara, but that was my mistake. Culturally and philosophically, when it comes to treating others, you’re still on the same footing we are.”

Demoric frowned. Instead of responding, he stood and motioned over to the brazier, filled with glowing orange coals. On top of the coals sat multiple thin metal rods, banded together into two thicker rods.

He grabbed tongs and a hammer and said, “I want you to watch what I do, sense at it with your Solara. Let us start the infusion.” His eyes were a bright blue, and that same color enveloped him.

Colton brought his power forth.

The blue of Demoric’s power traveled down his arm and over the tongs that had grabbed one of the red-hot pieces of steel. When the energy hit the metal, a light like a sun erupted and blared, momentarily blinding Colton.

When his eyes adjusted, he reached out with his mind and tried sensing what was happening. All he felt was a strong force of energy pulsating into the steel. It didn’t seem like Demoric put much strength or will behind it. The man simply released his power in a steady stream to course around and into the metal.

“I am starting with memories,” Demoric instructed as he performed the task. “Reflecting on things that make me happy and have forged me into the man I am today. I am sending those memories out into the steel. I am thinking of what I believe in and stand for. Again, I am sending those thoughts out through my Solara.

“By knowing who I am and what has made me that way, I am lastly focusing on what I want to achieve. What it is I want for the future. What I hope to become. The universe I wish to forge. Again, those hopes and wishes are coursing out of my mind and into the steel.”

He passed the tongs to Colton, saying, “Now you try.”

Colton stared flatly at him and asked, “That’s it?”

“That is it. It is simple.” Demoric’s face was impassive.

Colton grabbed the tongs, which were unexpectedly cool. He lifted the other piece of steel in the brazier.

The major had said to start with memories, so he tried to do that. Wielding his Solara forth, Colton thought about happy times. He reflected on Christmas mornings when he was young, the memory of his favorite football team winning the Super Bowl, and getting accepted into college. Those things had made him happy and proud, but nothing seemed to be happening.

“Try harder,” Demoric urged.

He closed his eyes and thought deeper.

Focusing on his family, he pictured a camping trip they had taken when he was eight. He had fished with his dad and caught his first bass. Later that day, he wrestled over a football in tall weeds with his brother. Joe had won the struggle, but Colton had gotten the last laugh when the next day, Joe’s face was covered in poison ivy, and Colton’s didn’t have a mark. That was when he learned he wasn’t allergic. He remembered later that night, his mom roasted him a marshmallow and served it on a graham cracker, leaving the chocolate off the smore, knowing he liked it best that way.

The power tingled in his hands, and he heard Demoric mutter, “Good.”

Colton pictured rolling around with Kado in the backyard. In his vision, his dog was a puppy, he was entering his teens, and his house was undamaged and good as new. He had no cares in the world back then.

The power pushed out from his hand.

He thought of when he first moved to that house. He was friends with Tommy within a week and became friends with the rest over the next couple of years.

TJ was after Tommy.

He sputtered, and for a moment, the power pulled back to him.

But then he pictured Kyla, of how beautiful he found her to be from the moment they met. He had instantly loved her ever-changing green-blue eyes shining so bright. He couldn’t get enough of her long wavy hair flowing down her back, nestled over her gorgeous round face. He also reflected on the person she was: her straightforward and quirky personality blended with her wit and intelligence.

The power boomed out of him, and he opened his eyes. The green shade of his Solara poured out from his body over the tongs and flowed into the metal. He felt the steel pulling it all in and wanting more.

“Who are you, Colton?”

He thought of his honesty, driven nature, loyalty, and love. He pictured those who meant everything to him and how he’d die to protect their freedoms and safety. He wanted a world where people were treated based on their merits, not how they looked or where they were born. Get rid of greed, corruption, and needless violence. Make a world where everyone respects and loves one another and not just does it but deserves it.

Colton wanted to be The Son of the Prophets. Deep down, he wanted to be the one to lead the universe so that he could guide it in his own direction. He desired to make the world, or worlds, what he imagined they should be, what in his heart he knew they were meant to be.

He opened his eyes, and as his thoughts fled, so did most of the Solara around him. But as it faded, he realized the piece of steel no longer glowed red and orange. It was now glowing green. He stared in awe at the shape of the blade he had chosen in the armory, his blade.

Demoric hammered away at it. He looked up at Colton. “That was well done. You showed a tremendous force of strength and will there. It is good to know you believe in what you are and what you want to achieve. Knowing oneself helps to better connect the blade to you and strengthen it.”

He started folding the edges of one side of the metal into a ‘V.’

“My question to you now, the one that matters the most, is: what type of man do you want to become, Colton Samson? More people have watched you than you know. You have shown resilience, determination, and strength. You will do whatever it is you must for your people. But who are your people? Are they just your loved ones and friends? Are they all those from Earth? Or are they all of us who stand against the evil we face?

“From your answer to my earlier question, I fear you do not have the makings of a leader, the true leader we are hoping you can be. I fear you only wish or care to protect a few instead of all.”

Demoric shaped a shallow trench down the center of each side of the blade. “Colton, The Son of the Prophets will care for all, respect all, and fight for all. If this is not you, proceed no further. You would be wasting your own time, mine, and everyone in this universe. And it is precious little time we have left.”

Anger built in Colton. He had been confused since the Night of Enlightenment. He had made assumptions and thought he had come to realizations along the way. But only at that moment was he sure he had made the necessary decision and acceptance. He wanted to be The Son of the Prophets. No longer waiting to see, like everyone else, whether it was true, he had decided that he wanted it to be true. From there on out, he would work for it to be true.

The major had been the first to question Colton’s true nature and desires toward the idea. Where Willick seemed to hope and believe he would work out, the major analyzed firsthand if Colton was the person he wanted to root for and trust.

He didn’t blame the man. He would have done the same thing.

“Major, sir, I have no doubts any longer. I want it to be me. I want to defeat that bastard and forge this universe into what it should be. I want nothing but love, happiness, justice, and equality. I want to see people constantly smiling and laughing. Goodness knows Earth has gone long enough without that.

“And strangers will not judge others based on what they don’t understand or where that person was born. People will be judged by their actions. What they do shows who they are, and that’s the only way it should be.”

Colton had been maintaining eye contact and hoping that he looked fervent enough. He knew he felt it. “Many of your planetmen have shown nothing but disrespect. We come to fight alongside you, and you treat us not even remotely as equals. And so while I will strive to make my dream a reality for everyone, until we get that respect, no, you won’t hear any coming out of my mouth regarding a good majority of your people.”

Demoric stared at him a long moment before looking away to take the now-molded blade off the brazier. He set it down. “This will cool for some time and then will be filed sharp. After that, your pommel and handle will be welded to it. For now, we are done here.”

Colton made no move to leave.

Demoric noticed, adding, “It is curious you focus on those from this planet that have wronged you over those that have treated you fairly. Is that a result of your culture or your personality? I have to wonder because someone who only focuses on the dark can never create something new in the light.”

His eyes drilled into Colton. “Any military leader knows that no matter how large the army they are leading, there are always those you wish were not a part of it. But the good leaders, the best, look at those people no differently. Because while they may be troublemakers, bigots, or just plain stupid, it does not mean they deserve the evil this universe may try to ensnare upon them. We cannot know all of their stories. We cannot understand what molded them into who they are or if they can do better under different circumstances. We can only try to help give them that chance.

“I will watch you, Samson. There is a long journey ahead. Show me who you truly are, and I will judge you fairly.” He held a finger up, his blue Solara glowing on the tip. “But if I do not believe in you or what you are about, I will risk none of my soldiers’ lives by leading them alongside you. Nor, if I doubt your ability, will I hand you over some of them to lead yourself.

“I am making the reports on your militaristic prowess to the king. You want to gain my trust and, through it, a large part of his? Then as you said, earn it. You can start by lowering your tone with a superior officer.”

Fair enough, Colton thought. “Sir, yes, sir.”

The major stared him down for a brief moment. “You can go. I hope you prove my fears false.”

Colton left the room, Demoric’s words replaying in his head and striking a chord.

42

Almost every night, Colton would examine his sword in awe. He couldn’t have been more pleased with the final product. Light, long and thin, he could hold it with either one or two hands. The blade was the standard gray color of any steel-forged sword, with lightning bolt-shaped hints of green marked throughout it.

He had collected the weapon the day after he and the major performed the forging. That same night he took his first try at practicing with it, realizing right away that learning to use the sword properly would be much more complicated than he initially imagined.

His fellow Earthling buddies had joined him. Upon entering the weapons yard, a supervisor showed them a simple wielding of Solara to dull the edges of their blades. They locked the wielding onto the blade, leaving the edges feeling like a hard rubbery material. It still left bruises, but it prevented any serious harm from occurring.

His group of friends had mostly screwed around with themselves at first. Colton had swung his sword away at Tommy’s handheld shield rather clumsily for a long while. Tommy had a picture of the planet Earth engraved as if you were looking at the planet from space. Colton loved it but could barely hit anything past it. And while Tommy was clumsy, he had landed a few smacks of his spear-axe on Colton’s arms and legs.

They hadn’t wielded Solara that night, wanting to get used to the handheld weapons first. But they realized just how essential the mix of a physical weapon and wielding would be. Brax and his cronies had been there, looking like pros, blending a combination of the two perfectly. Colton imagined they had been practicing since the day they could stand.

A few Spacelings had laughed at and taunted those from Earth. But others stepped forward, offering help. Kulik had joined Colton’s group for a while and gave friendly advice of his own. He showed them the correct way to hold different weapons and certain stances to take. It helped. Afterward, they had at least found themselves a little less stiff in their techniques.

The next night they had their first instructed lesson with the handheld weapons. And they learned they would have them every night after that. During that lesson, the instructor, a short and grizzled older man whom Colton knew in Spaceling ages meant prehistoric old, had discussed much the same as Kulik had shown them. Then the following few classes, he went into attacks, jabs, swings, and thrusts. He also explained defenses and parries, with a blade one day and Solara the next.

By week three, who everyone referred to as “The Old Man” was already combining the two. And he waited until he had started to teach the combination of physical and wielding defenses until he taught any aggressor wielding on its own.

He paired Earthlings with Spacelings when dueling, always different pairings. In almost every case, the Spaceling was much better. When one Earthling finally had enough and asked why, the old man stated, “The best strategy in becoming abler is to face those superior to you.” And when Spacelings argued, what about them? How would that help them? He answered, “Getting used to inferior foes and then facing one equal or greater is also an important lesson.”

It wasn’t easy. Colton’s frustration level skyrocketed. Not all, but many Spacelings took advantage of their superiority and seemed to enjoy embarrassing his kind. He found himself on the ground, staring up at a smug face he wanted to backhand more times than he wished to count. And the mornings after, when bruises formed, it did nothing but send the image of those stupid grins back to his mind.

He had no doubt the whole thing would be a long, annoying, and intricate process. But he also knew it would be worth it. And he was ever more hopeful of that when over the course of those few weeks, that mentality started to prove true in other areas.

Quicker than he had imagined, his planetmen got used to the Trek, many keeping a steady pace throughout. And they became more competent within the Pit as well.

They had many lessons and classes. From learning about enemy planets, Colton now knew Oldir and Quinnero were primarily dry and harsh desert landscapes due to the war won by the prophets so long ago. And in learning to use Solara in a fight, he could will forces of power to smash objects into pieces or pull and stretch the solid form of energy out of that wielding, leaving it less powerful but wider in range. Like a massive gust of air, it was enough to upend and imbalance enemies. And he learned that his strongest quality was his defense. He wielded a shield around himself that even the Old Man couldn’t penetrate, though it was draining.

The more he trained, the more his Solara and mind coincided as a natural defense mechanism. Once he started anticipating where an attack would come, it was as if minor Solara shields meant to protect that specific area would spring up before he even thought to use them. He sensed an attack aimed at his back or legs, and a shield just enough to deflect it would appear for that needed second. It preserved a ton of energy in comparison to wielding a body-sized shield.

Colton maintained a growing confidence that began rubbing off on all aspects of his training. That was why he had been given soldiers to command as they were in the middle of their first mock battle.

David was named lieutenant of their platoon. He had become Demoric’s favorite Earthling student, excelling in the battle history and strategy lessons. Colton and a Spaceling from Goria, Murel, were the sergeants under him.

The mock battle had four platoons total, each comprising forty-two soldiers. It was a two-on-two who could win the ground battle. There would be no fighting, just whoever got the upper hand on the others. Colton was in Third Platoon, allied with Fourth. Brax headed Fourth, and Tommy was a sergeant under him.

Their platoon waited in a slightly wooded copse, an hour’s jog north from Camp Penski. Rounded humps that could be considered small hills zig-zagged this way and that all around them. Being at the base of one was like standing in a maze. Which gave the mock battle its purpose. They couldn’t see over the elevations. An enemy platoon might be around any corner, and they would have no idea.

“We’re pretty much at the southern tip of the playing field,” David said, studying a map of the area. “Fourth Platoon started at the northern. Brax and I agreed that the best strategy is to combine our two forces. He told me, ‘I know this terrain. Hold half a mile northeast from the starting location, and I will come to you.’ What do you two think?”

Damn having no communication, is what Colton thought.

He was frustrated. The battle had started over an hour ago, and besides the half-mile initial trek, they hadn’t moved from where they currently were. He said what they all felt. “For all we know, they’re already eliminated from the field.”

“And even if not,” Murel added, “we will have no way of knowing if it happens later.”

Colton frowned. “You don’t think Brax will try to take out First and Second Platoons on his own, do you?”

David shook his head. “He might be capable of it, but I doubt it. Even if successful, going against an agreement with his fellow lieutenant wouldn’t look good in the eyes of the officers assessing us. He’d lose more favor with them than anything. I assume someone of his stature knows that.”

Colton wasn’t sold. “He can make it appear the situation forced him into acting.”

A flicker of doubt passed across David’s face.

They both looked to Murel, who shrugged and said, “He does not like either of you. But he takes his officer duties seriously. Failure in the next sim means the end for many recruits, and mocks like this are essential to our studies. He will not jeopardize others’ chances at defending the realm simply to make you look bad.”

David turned back to the map and studied it for a long moment before finally deciding, “Even if he is planning on meeting us, we still need to know what’s going on outside our designated area. Colton, I want you to take Second Squad and try to do reconnaissance. Don’t make it any farther than three hills in either direction before reporting back. For now, I want to know if anyone is close.”

Colton nodded and walked over to his squad of thirteen other soldiers. The only one he knew personally was Kevin. There were a few from his planet and two Spacelings that he was acquainted with through previous training and lessons, but the other six were strangers.

“All right, listen up. We’ve been assigned a little recon duty.” He looked for the two smallest. “Kevin and George, see those two hills straight ahead to our north? Kevin, you take the one on the left; George, you take the right. Stay as low as possible and scope the surrounding area from the top. You’ll have two soldiers stationed to guard both sides of the bottom for you.”

Kevin looked nervous.

“You guys got it?” Colton asked.

“Yes, sir,” George replied.

Kevin wasn’t so quick. “I don’t know, Colton. What if I give us away?”

One of the other squad members laughed. In the overly-proper accent of a Spaceling, he said, “I will do it. We do not want the scared boy to piss himself during a mock battle.”

A couple of others chuckled.

Colton frowned. “No. You’ll watch the bottom right of George’s hill, Private. And if you don’t do as ordered, you’ll perform recon ahead of us, alone, at the bottom.”

The guy understood that would end his battle pretty quickly if the enemy were close, so he shut his mouth.

Colton turned to Kevin and put both arms on the kid’s shoulders. “Kev, you’re the smallest. We can’t let them know we’re here if they’re close. We need the person with the least amount of body for them to spot going to the top. This is the job for you. Just stay low. It’ll be fine.”

Kevin still looked hesitant, but he tried to put on a confident smile. “All right.”

Colton motioned them all on. Once the four soldiers were positioned for lookout at the base of the two hills, the scouts hurried to the top. The hills weren’t all that big, maybe twenty-five steps up on a forty-five-degree angle. But the top would give a view of hilltops in the distance and at least two valleys over between the hills.

Colton kept his eyes on Kevin. When he neared the top, the kid got down on his knees, crawled for a minute, and lowered onto his belly and made his way to the crest.

There you go.

Kevin poked his head over the ridge and roamed the surrounding hills with his eyes. George was already descending when Kevin’s head stopped and stiffened. He pulled out small binoculars identical to those from Earth and focused on something. He observed for a minute before he came down with an eager expression on his face.

George reached Colton first and reported, “Nothing out there, sir.”

Colton nodded and turned to the approaching Kevin.

Kevin was a little out of breath when he said, “Two hills north and two west, I saw someone in the enemy blue of Second Platoon crawling along the top.”

“You’re sure?” Colton asked.

“Yes, sir. He scoped south and west from his position. And it may have just been the wind, but I saw a good amount of dust movement straight ahead, a little farther north than the hill with the person.”

Why only south and west?

Colton focused on the dust sighting to the north before ordering, “Kevin, go back and do the same, but this time look north and east. I want to know if they have more soldiers scanning all directions.”

Kevin nodded and headed back up. Colton watched with anticipation as Kevin did as told. He ran down smiling.

Colton felt he understood what was going on even before Kevin approached and reported, “Three hills straight to the north was another from Second Platoon. He scanned south, east, and west. As for looking east myself, there wasn’t anyone on the hilltops, but I saw enemy movement in the valley underneath one. Four enemy soldiers from Second Platoon jogged south towards us.”

Got them.

He had been right. Second Platoon split into squads and spread out to better understand what was ahead. The three units traveled in a straight line to cover more distance and were scouting all directions but north. That disturbed Colton.

“If they’re not looking back to the north of themselves,” he said, “it’s because they’re not afraid of what’s there. And that can only mean First Platoon is covering behind them. If we’re spotted, we’ll have two platoons bearing down on us. And they’re coming our way.”

He slapped Kevin on the back. “Great job, Private.”

Kevin beamed with pride.

George looked ashamed.

“Don’t let it get to you,” Colton insisted to him. “This is why we’re doing this now. Get the mistakes out of the way, so they don’t happen when our lives are really in jeopardy.”

George pressed his lips into a firm line and nodded.

Colton laid out the details of the enemy movements as they made their way back to their platoon. And once there, he reported everything to David and Murel.

David looked more thoughtful than worried when he asked, “You’re sure they’ll come right this way?”

Colton nodded. “If we sit here and do nothing, we’re good as beat. They’ll spot this many men from a couple of hills over, and they’ll regroup with First and plan an attack.”

“We are pretty much as far south as the battlefield goes. Do we retreat east or west?” Murel asked.

David frowned. “Who said anything about retreating?”

Colton’s eyebrows shot up.

Murel blinked a couple of times. “Sir, we will go up against two platoons by ourselves? The agreement was to group up and then attack.”

“The enemy is split,” David replied. “And it’s doubtful they have their reinforcing allies that close behind them. They won’t split up both First and Second Platoons. So I bet that if First Platoon is in any proximity to immediately defend an attack on one of Second’s squads, it’s the middle one. That leaves the squads to the east and west vulnerable.

“It was a good idea they had in theory, but they spread out too far. We need to hit them now. If we don’t take them while they are split, it may be impossible to do it later. Not to mention by sitting here, their actions have pinned us in. We might be unable to move all of us out before being spotted. Then they’d have easy pickings.”

Murel saw the logic and inclined his head.

Colton smiled. “Brax will be pissed. I like it.”

“I’m not worrying about him,” David responded. “I’m his equal here. This is simply the smart move.”

They did more recon, and David laid out a plan. When he finished, Colton’s respect for the genius doubled. It wasn’t easy to spot, but as quickly as anyone could, David realized a pattern to the enemy’s movements. With each hill the squads moved forward; they shifted one over to the east or west. He noticed their pattern was west, west, east, and east. And all three squads coincided with one another on it. He laid out which hill they would come upon well in advance.

They had to start with one of the outskirt squads. And since their platoon had strayed west of the original meeting point with Fourth, that left more of a chance Fourth would appear from the east if they were still in it. So chancing meeting them early and joining forces, David decided to attack Second Platoon’s eastern squad first.

By the time that squad pulled up to the hill David had ready to ambush; with everyone having moved in small, deliberately timed clusters to avoid notice, they were in place on all sides. They even had guys moving in behind the enemies when they passed specific points.

Colton got to be the one who made the first strike upon the enemy scout on the hill crest. He crouched on the southern side of the ridge with his sword pointed up. He was surprised when Eric topped the peak with a “2” on his dark blue uniform. Colton held his sword up and jested, “You’re dead, sir.”

Eric scowled. “Aw, hell. I’m the first to die in the battle, ain’t I?”

Colton smiled. “First to die, and first to let me know you guys mustn’t have taken out any boys or gals from the Fourth yet.”

Eric dropping his face into the dust, followed by the groans of his fellow squad-mates set upon at the base of the hill behind him, made Colton grin wider.

The second phase of David’s plan was to immediately go for the middle squad. Try to overwhelm them before they realized anything was even wrong. If Colton and company were successful, they would have a chance at cutting off the final squad before it retreated to First Platoon waiting in the north.

“They have to be using runners to stay in contact and report their findings,” David said. “They must not be expecting attacks. They believe they’ll spot trouble before it reaches them.”

So with that as their mindset, Colton and Third Platoon moved about sixty yards west, down the same valley, before David pulled them to the sides. The runner from Second Platoon’s middle squad dropped her head in defeat when they caught her.

They took it as fast as they thought the runner would have, farther west down the valley, and burst out in force against the middle squad. It would have been more a fight than an ambush, but the unit was smaller and had been expecting an allied runner, not an entire enemy platoon. Therefore it would have been an easy victory. But because the officers observing the mock battle expected an honor system in place, they would have taken some casualties. So David picked four of their own at random and let them go.

Colton and the rest of the others headed west almost immediately. The next part of the plan counted on them figuring out if the last squad from Second Platoon had noticed anything astray yet. If the unit was retreating, they had to cut them off.

But David stopped everyone and ordered, “We’re moving southwest!”

Murel frowned and asked, “Sir? Why south? We do not know if the last squad is retreating or moving forward.”

Colton could tell David sensed something afoot, and when he looked north, he understood. The large dust cloud rising into the air from roughly two valleys over had to be First Platoon bearing down on them.

David shouted, “Move!”

They all burst into a run down a diagonal valley, heading southwest.

They had discussed how First Platoon must communicate with Second Platoon’s three units. David was sure if there was a runner between squads, then there was one between the squads and platoon. They hadn’t even attempted to take out both sets of runners as to do that would separate their forces, making them vulnerable. They hoped First Platoon would be confused by what was going on long enough for them to eliminate all three units in Second. But they must have figured it out quickly to be almost upon them.

Colton caught up to David and asked, “Why not straight south? You think the last squad may still have no idea what’s going on?”

“They may or may not,” David answered as he ran. “Hard to tell how quickly their runners are relaying information. But if they are still moving forward, this route will cut them off. So we’re going to find out.”

Colton grinned. “This has gone exactly how you imagined, hasn’t it?”

David smirked. “I had an inkling.”

Colton shook his head as he ran. “If I am The Son of the Prophets, you’ll be a general of mine one day.”

David grunted.

“It has seemed a little easy so far, though,” Colton wondered. “Kind of a stupid plan by them, no? They were together and had the advantage of numbers. They should have pressed it.”

“They might not know our platoons aren’t together,” David replied as if it was all common sense. “And if they do, this might have been the quickest way to find and weed us out before we were. We got lucky. If they had found us first, this all would have been different. As you said, they would have pressed us.”

A smile again lit Colton’s face. “Kevin may have won the day.”

David grinned as well. “He just may have.”

They ran full speed down that diagonal valley. And as David again anticipated, the last unit from Second Platoon had proceeded south, clueless to anything going on. And because Colton’s platoon was now somewhat behind them, the squad was taken unaware, resulting in the complete elimination of Second Platoon. Since they had all come in one direction, there would have been a little of a fight, so David dropped four more men from Third.

Ace had been in that last Second squad. But he didn’t appear too unhappy about being eliminated. He was all smiles, walking back to camp alongside a new female friend he had seemingly made.

And that was where Third Platoon’s planning ended. Taking out Second Platoon had only cost them eight soldiers. That meant they didn’t necessarily need to run from First Platoon any longer. So David ordered them again into clusters behind hills that, by the dust cloud, he guessed would hide them from the coming enemy. He hoped to spring out and catch some by surprise, evening the odds.

But the attack never came.

What came was Fourth Platoon, all smiles because they were followed by a dejected looking First.

Brax, not necessarily happy about David’s preliminary assault but taking it better than Colton would have thought, explained Fourth had been close by. So when First raised a cloud of dust trying to reach Third in a storm, it was simple to sneak right up behind them. Fourth stormed them at their backs, and it had been clear they would have won that fight and, therefore, the battle.

And because of that, later that night, the Earthlings and Spacelings in barrack twenty-two were getting along.

“That was a risky move, Liang,” Brax said. “If they spotted you and took you out, you would have made my job much harder.”

Colton shook his head. Instead, we made it a hell of a lot easier.

“I wasn’t going to wait all day for you and sit there to be beaten,” David responded. “Which is what would have happened had I not attacked. I felt I’d take them, so I went with it.”

“I do not fault you,” Brax conceded. “I am just saying it might not always turn out that way.”

Colton was shocked, disturbed, but relieved to find he had grown a bit of respect for Canter Brax. The guy was arrogant and acted like a damn prick. But he showed that he knew his stuff when it came to battle. And to Colton, that was someone that no matter who the person was, you want them on your side in a war.

Kulik gave Colton a knowing look.

Just a little time, he agreed, nodding back.

Morris disrupted the discussion by saying, “Well, we won. And hugely thanks to, drum-roll please, Kevin Burnside!”

Colton and his fellow planetmen burst into applause and piled on top of Kevin and his cot. He watched the kid’s beaming face disappear underneath multiple bodies.

43

“Block.”

Colton brought his sword up and felt the jar of impact.

“Thrust.”

He pointed it forward and pushed, meeting nothing but air.

“Dodge.”

He spun in a semicircle, barely seeing the blur of his opponent’s sword as it swiped across where his stomach had just been.

The Old Man turned and faced him again, blade held out in front of his wiry little body. “Good. Not the smoothest of maneuvers, you stumbled more than spun out of that one. But at least you got out of the way this time.

Colton, sweating profusely, glared as he rubbed his sore and bruised tailbone. He had always thought himself one for patience, but since arriving on Vintara, he realized perhaps that wasn’t the case.

The Old Man had been finding a lot of one-on-one time with Colton. And while he understood his instructor was only teaching him and making him better, the bruises he winced in his sleep at every night left him wanting to smash his Solara blunted sword against that old wrinkled face.

They had healing stations at the camp that could heal the bruises, but the Old Man wouldn’t allow it. In his high-pitched voice, he had said, “That option will not always be available. Learning to live with the pain is a good lesson to get out of the way early.”

At first, Colton agreed. He wanted to be able to deal with injuries. It seemed like logical reasoning. But after a few nights of tormenting sleep, followed by even worse morning treks, that mindset quickly vanished.

The Old Man circled him. As if he could read Colton’s thoughts, he said, “Just as in wielding the power of the stars, when you wield a physical blade, you must always be in control of your emotions, Recruit. If you are not in total control of your mind, you are not in complete control of your actions. All it will take is one wrong move, one rash act, one slip, and you are dead or dying.

“When dueling, your mind must be empty of anything but this. My sword and I are the only objects on the planet that should be your concern. If you cannot master concentration when it is only me, how will you do it when five soldiers are assaulting you? Or more so, simultaneously assaulting you and those you wish to protect?”

Colton knew it wasn’t just a lesson for a recruit but one for The Son of the Prophets. He nodded to acknowledge he understood, sending sweat flying to the ground.

“If you cannot help yourself in a fight, how will you help others, Recruit?”

Colton stared but didn’t respond. The Old Man was no idiot. He understood he was hitting home to Colton’s thoughts.

“We are mostly done here for tonight. But I will give you one last chance to release your frustration and strike me with that blade. Go!”

Colton took a moment to heed the Old Man’s words and tried clearing his mind. When his anger cooled, he wiped the sweat out of his eyes and moved forward. Instead of holding his sword pointed out like the Old Man, he kept his tilted to the right, sharp side facing his opponent.

As he approached, the Old Man stood perfectly still. They had done this before, and every time Colton tried to hit him wherever the opening seemingly was. It never worked. So after the last time, he decided to take a different approach. I’ll strike where I want his blade to block, opening the area I aim to strike next.

Colton reached him and swung his sword up in an uppercut fashion on the right. The Old Man had no trouble blocking the attack, but Colton knew he wouldn’t. And when Colton spun the blade to the left, in a downward arc on the other side, he also anticipated that block. And his third move, a straight thrust, had no chance of hitting either.

But the two blocks to his sides and the thrust forward left the Old Man’s sword pointing down, his entire upper half exposed. And Colton did what he planned from the beginning. He again swung the sword in an uppercut fashion, knowing the Old Man had no chance of bringing his up in time to meet it.

The results, however, weren’t what he expected.

When his blade came up, the Old Man was as quick as a cat twisting out of the way. And Colton, now having his entire body exposed and staring in shock at the older man's agility, buckled over when he took a jab to the stomach. He fell on his knees, holding his gut.

The Old Man stood over him. “Never, ever, form an attack that leaves you vulnerable like that.” He held out his hand.

No longer angry at the little man, Colton took it.

Once he was up, the Old Man nodded. “It was a good attempt, however. It shows you are starting to think in diverse ways. You will need to focus on that. Anyone who uses the same techniques will not last forever against smart opponents. Those who are multi-dimensional in their forms are the ones to worry about.”

A few minutes later, Colton winced his way back to his barrack, where he grabbed clean clothes from his chest, threw off his soaked purple tee shirt, and within minutes was back out the door and on his way to the showers. The nighttime Vintaran air was cool as always, but he still felt that every pore in his body oozed sweat.

During the walk, he lost track of things, thinking about weapons training and the simulator. He was pondering when they’d have their second combat-sim when he realized he walked past the showers and had to turn around. That was when he saw her.

Kyla.

She walked with Molly and another woman he didn’t know. They were on a straight course right for him. He noticed the women all around, many staring at him, and realized where he had walked.

The women’s barracks.

He stared down at his shirtless torso and loose, comfortable shorts, his only clothing besides the boots the Army supplied. For a moment, he was glad of what had become his newly muscular and toned-looking body. But then embarrassment took over, and he felt blood and heat rush into his face. It wasn’t unknown for a guy to walk shirtless in the camp, but it must look tacky to do so through the women’s barracks. He threw the towel he had brought around his shoulders to cover some of his bareness.

Kyla spotted him, and he had a minute to glory in how she stared him up and down before they were upon one another.

“Hi, Colton,” she greeted, looking at him sideways.

He tried giving his best grin. “Hey, Kyla, Molly. How are you ladies doing?”

“Good,” Kyla answered.

“Hello, Colton,” Molly said. She motioned to the third woman. “This is Jazzel, our friend from Huran.”

The Spaceling was tall, with jet-black hair.

Colton offered his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Jazzel took it and replied, “You, as well.”

There was an awkward silence as everyone stood around, Colton stumbling in his mind over what to say. Jazzel looked at him strangely while he and Kyla passed a few glances among one another.

Molly grabbed Jazzel and said, “Let’s head back to the barrack. Nice to see you again, Colton.”

“You too,” he responded and watched them walk away, Jazzel still shooting him curious looks.

“She’s probably putting two-and-two together as to who you are,” Kyla explained. “She’s aware we know you, just not full details.”

Colton noted that Kyla cut her hair, now running just past her shoulders. Her darker, natural color extended from her roots to about halfway down, becoming a lighter blond as it neared the tips. She looked great.

“I see,” he said. “How is everyone?”

“They’re good. Molly has befriended half the camp. Emily has adapted well, too; she’s so fit that the Trek and Pit are both not a problem for her. She’s been spending a lot of time with some new guy, a Penskian. And then there’s Becky, but do you really want to hear about her?”

The news of Emily and the new guy sent an unexpected pang to Colton’s gut, and he wanted to ask, “What about you? Have you found someone new?” But instead, he smiled and joked, “No, I don’t need to know about Becky.”

That at least brought forth a laugh. At Dulver, she had always found his dislike of her friend amusing.

When she finished, he asked, “How about you, Kyla? How have you been adapting?”

She shrugged. “Okay. All the conditioning and exercise made me feel out of shape initially, and the training and lessons had me feeling inadequate. But I’m coming around now. How about you?”

Seeing and talking to her again, reminding him how alike their thought processes were, had his heart beating fast. But he tried to keep his face impassive. “The same. I was pissed when all these Spacelings outperformed me. But like you, I’m coming around, equaling up with them, and surprisingly making friends with some.”

Kyla smiled. “Yeah, I wasn’t a big fan of them at first either. But once I got to know them, mostly they’re not so bad. Sure, they have their bitches, but so do we.”

Colton nodded, even though he had only been paying half attention to her last sentence, focusing instead on how beautiful she was.

They both stared at one another for a few awkward seconds before he looked down. There had been much he wanted to tell her over the weeks, but at that moment, none of it came to mind.

She broke the silence. “So, what exactly are you doing around the woman’s barracks? Seeing if you still got some game?”

She said it teasingly, but Colton thought, or more so hoped, that he might have sensed a bit of jealousy in her voice. He arched an eyebrow. “Come on now, was that ever in doubt?”

She snorted and gave him a mocking expression of her own.

He laughed and continued, “No, to be honest, there’s been a hell of a lot on my mind. With us Earthlings being behind in everything, and the whole Son of the Prophets thing...” He paused, realizing that touchy subject is why they hadn’t been talking in the first place. “With all that, I feel an extra responsibility to not only do well myself but to make this whole thing work for everyone.”

Kyla’s face had become somewhat blank, but he could still sense teasing when she asked, “And what does that have to do with walking shirtless around the women’s barracks?”

He blushed. “Oh, right. Basically, I got a little lost in thought there. Was planning on taking a shower but walked right by them.”

She smiled and nodded but didn’t laugh or say anything in response, and again it was awkward. It brought on a moment of sadness for Colton. They had always spoken so easily and naturally with one another. It had been one of the things he immensely enjoyed about her. But that had apparently changed.

“Well, I should get going,” she said. “I have cleaning duty in the mess hall.”

“Yeah, okay. It was great seeing you, Kyla.”

“Yes, you too.”

She turned to leave, and he added, “Try to make more time for one another?”

She paused, seemingly uncertain what to say, before answering, “We’re both busy. But yeah, we can try.”

It wasn’t exactly the answer he had hoped for, but it wasn’t a rejection either.

“I’m in barrack twenty-two with the other guys. Bring the girls if you want. A reunion would be nice.”

She smiled. “Yes, that would be. See you around, Colton.”

“Have a good night.”

He put his head down as she walked away. After weeks of hoping to run into her, they had an awkward conversation that lasted less than five minutes.

He soaked in the showers for an hour, replaying the conversation in his mind. When he finished, he retreated to his cot and what he hoped would be the blank thoughtlessness of sleep.

44

The following day Demoric made a significant announcement.

“Recruits, in three days, you will all perform in your second combat simulation. More than a test of your strengths and weaknesses in battle, though they will be challenged, this simulation is meant to see how you respond to a particular situation. Will you keep your composure or panic? Can you follow orders to the fullest?”

He held his hand up, blue Solara buzzing around it, an act he liked to do to highlight his following words. “Remember, this is a test. Anyone who fails in it, who we deem not to have shown us enough before this point, will be sent away. I appreciate the hard work I have seen from many of you, but not everyone is meant to stand on a field of battle. After this sim, it will be time for some recruits to accept that.”

They were in their battle strategies class. Colton turned to look at those around him, seeing eagerness and excitement on some faces and nervousness and doubt on others.

While assuming there was a slight bias on his side, given the whole prophecy take, it still didn’t mean Colton was guaranteed a spot in the military ranks. He would never want to be placed on the battlefield if considered a detriment to those around him. But he also couldn’t deny how embarrassing and deflating it would be to get booted.

His nerves picked up a bit.

“The combat-sim will be run by companies,” Demoric continued. “So you, V-Company, will perform together in this, working toward one goal and cause. Canter Brax will be the captain of the mission. Under him will be four lieutenants: Kulik Brax, David Liang, Freda Unjil, and Colton Samson.”

Upon hearing his name, Colton felt all the faces that shifted his way. The ranking didn’t surprise him. Demoric wanted to know what he was made of. He was glad to have two friends along as lieutenants. The third, Freda, was a spirited woman from Penski, smart with tactics, deadly with her knives, and always seeming to impress their superiors.

Demoric explained the mission itself. “A krugal tribe has attacked the area around a small town, aiming to eradicate it. Your responsibility will be to defend the townsfolk and keep them safe, routing out the krugals and eliminating them from the vicinity.”

A rumbling of fear echoed through the recruits.

Colton remembered learning about the creatures. They had the large round heads, big black eyes, and pale white skin that many on Earth envisioned aliens to have. But they had them on eight-foot-tall, lean, and muscular bodies, with sharp talon-like claws protruding from their hands and sharp pointy teeth.

“There are no classes or lessons for the next two days,” Demoric informed. “You are to spend your time practicing for combat and, as we give you more details, preparing specifically for this simulation. You will receive the majority of your Intel later. For now, I wish to focus on the basics of your enemy.

He began walking around the room as he talked. “Krugals are beastly creatures. They can wield Solara but are much weaker with it than humans. However, that changes when they work together in large groups.

“They do not have the limits we do of an eleven-person link. No one can say for certain, but experts believe this is because, whereas humans vary so greatly in personalities and strengths, krugals’ tribal thoughts are more single-minded and brutish. Their links have less interference due to fewer differences in their overall being.

“They are adept at linking their powers to form one massive strike or shield. And they will still be able to fight for themselves, much more strongly than if alone. The more there are, the more powerful they become. So try not to get caught battling a large group of them. And if it is unavoidable, do all you can to link up with whoever is around you. It is the best way to counter their strength.”

“Sir, where do krugals come from?” Demarcus asked. “Are there large numbers of them? Are they major enemies or threats to the Throne?”

“The location of their home planet is unknown. They appear here and there from the darkness outside of our occupied solar systems. But since the time of the prophets, their numbers within our regions have been nothing to worry the Throne. Battles have occurred with them in the past, but it is always one rogue tribe performing on its own.”

Demoric threw up a Solara-encompassed finger. “But to answer the final part of that question, it is essential to note that The Heart of the Flame has had dealings with some, and we believe an alliance between the two is possible. Therefore, going into this war, krugals should be viewed as a likely enemy.”

He gazed intently around the room. “They are not to be underestimated. They are weak apart, but together, they are strong, vicious, and sometimes known to be clever. These beasts have the potential to be tough and ruthless adversaries. And so prepare. Because in three days, they are what you will go up against.”

45

The following couple of days were hectic. Colton spent as much time as possible training to battle with Solara and his sword. He felt he had something to prove with the coming combat-sim, and he wouldn’t botch it by immediately falling to a krugal claw.

The practice made him confident in his progression. But when he saw Brax dueling the second day, easily handling three skilled opponents, taking them down with such intricate and complex forms of mixed sword and Solara attacks, he knew it was still a long road ahead.

The morning before the combat-sim, Colton and the other three lieutenants met with Brax to prepare.

“The enemy numbers will equal our own,” he informed, green eyes gazing back and forth to each lieutenant. “We will begin the simulation in the town we are meant to defend. The mission is to eliminate the krugal threat from the area.”

“Any notion of where they will be?” Colton asked.

“None,” Brax responded. “We will gather information from the townsfolk and proceed from there.”

Colton noted that Brax’s dislike towards him wasn’t showing. He stayed professional and on point.

He continued, “We will begin by setting up defensive preparations. Kulik and Lieutenant Liang, your platoons will remain within the town to hold its defense. Lieutenant Samson, depending on the intelligence we gather from the townsfolk, your platoon’s mission will be to locate and scout the enemy. Your soldiers’ recon won the mock battle, earning you this spot.”

Colton nodded, a bit surprised to have received a compliment.

“And my platoon?” Freda asked.

Brax turned to her. “You will station outside of the town but remain close. If necessary, I want you ready and in position to reinforce or aid Lieutenant Samson and Fourth Platoon. But not straying too far that we leave the town vulnerable. Again, I will have more definitive orders once we gather intel within the sim.”

Their captain paused momentarily before stating, “That is all for now. Study the holographic maps of the area well. We do not know exactly what we will face until we get there, but we at least will know the terrain. This may be the final chance for some of the recruits we lead. It will not be our actions that get them sent away.”

A chorus of “Yes, sir!” echoed around the table.

Later that night, Colton relayed the plan to his platoon of forty-four soldiers. Twenty-two were Earthlings, while the twenty-two others were Spacelings. On the Earthling side, he had Ace, Morris, and Kevin. For the Spacelings, there was his platoon’s other sergeant in the mock battle, Murel. And between the lessons and weapons practice, Colton was acquainted with some others.

The overall consensus from his troops was eagerness and excitement. There were a couple like Kevin who looked pale as ghosts when discussing it, but mostly they all were happy and proud to have been issued what was seemingly the best role. Performing recon meant being the first out into the field and likely having the first encounter with the krugals. They would have the chance many wanted, the opportunity to prove themselves.

After the positive briefing, Colton fell asleep that night a fairly confident lieutenant. He woke up the following morning a nervous fool.

At breakfast, he spooned around oatmeal on his plate, unable to take a bite. When he saw a relaxed-looking Tommy eating hungrily, he held back the urge to flick a spoonful of the mush into his friend’s face. “How can you stay so calm?” he asked.

Tommy glanced up from eating. “What? I think we’re well prepared.”

Colton glowered at him. “Easy for you to say. You’ll be sitting behind the trenches with Brax.”

Canter had surprisingly picked Tommy to be part of his small personal team in the simulation.

His friend shrugged. “Colt, you may not be as coordinated and flashy as some, but you’re as smart and powerful as anyone here. Just keep your head focused, and you’ll be fine.” He took another casual bite of the oat mush and added, “Besides, even if you make mistakes, you’re the possible Son of the Prophets. They’re not going to send you home.”

“But they can send those under me home,” Colton noted.

Tommy acknowledged the point with a tilt of his head. He replied, “Do your best. That’s all you can do. Let the dominos fall from there.”

Colton blew out a breath. His stomach grumbled, and he looked down at the mush. “I can’t perform top of my game with this crap in my stomach. I need hearty food. Why don’t they make bacon-egg-and-cheeses? God, I’d love a bacon-egg-and-cheese right now.”

Tommy smiled and asked, “Still getting the meat cravings? Mine stopped a few weeks ago.”

Colton’s, to his surprise, mainly had stopped as well. But, at that moment, he couldn’t help thinking how he would have loved a mound of greasy bacon to help settle his stomach. But there wasn’t any for light-years away. So he made do with what he had, took down the mush, and retreated to his barrack.

He sat on the end of his cot, sword in his hands, letting the minutes click down until the combat-sim. He replayed everything he and his platoon were supposed to do in his head. But there wasn’t much until they were there and better knew the situation.

He decided to practice with some wielding, calming his nerves before bringing Solara forth in a rush. He held the power and sensed around with it, feeling it coursing through his veins, vibrating up and down his muscles. He extended it to his feet and then his hands, and like heat leaving his fingers, he felt it go out his hands, up and down his sword, and back into his body.

It was a connecting circle. The power tingled through Colton’s fingertips, flowed into the sword, and spun around both sides back into him. He performed the act faster and faster until his arms and sword lit up, becoming a single green blazing circle. It left him feeling like he was charging up his power within, strengthening himself. He didn’t understand what he was doing, but it felt right.

“Colton!” Morris shouted, snapping him out of it.

He looked up, feeling the green fire still blazing in his eyes, even after it began receding from his arms and weapon.

Morris appeared surprised as he stated, “Time to go, buddy. Ready?

Colton realized he must have been sitting like that for a while if it was already time. He nodded, a new rush pulsating through him. He felt amplified and more focused than at any point that day. They headed to the simulator.

46

When Colton came to within the simulation, the first thing he noticed was the dryness and heat. He stood under a reddish-hued sky, around buildings that reminded him of a ghost town in the middle of a desert, one that didn’t feel like it was on Earth or Vintara. Everywhere clouds of sand blew waist-high across a grayish brown, packed-clay ground. The township sat behind small wooden walls, more a village of wooden huts than an actual town.

Colton looked down at himself and was shocked when he realized he wore a soldier of the Throne’s gray Army uniform. It was the first time he had donned one. On one arm was stitched the star-sword symbol of the Throne, and on the other was the Army’s X with four circles insignia.

A sword hung at his hip, and he unsheathed it to confirm that it was his own, smiling when he spotted the green bolt shapes infused throughout it. He also wore a long gray cloak that uncomfortably held the heat and left him sweltering. He noticed others unfastening theirs around him but stopped when he went to undo his.

They must have given us these for a reason.

He looked again at the ground, which was almost the same color. Camouflage. He left it on and ordered his soldiers to do the same.

After taking in the surroundings, he gathered his platoon and began building defensive setups. They had small poles to stick in the ground, called shield spikes. When wielded into, they threw up a defensive shield that would protect twenty to thirty people behind one. The company had three and set them up in a triangle formation behind the gateless front opening of the wall.

They also strengthened the walls themselves that circled the town. Colton estimated the whole thing couldn’t be over two hundred yards in diameter. They wielded trenches inside and outside, placing turret guns in each. Called “Dusters,” a single person operated one, wielding their Solara into the turret, where the machine maximized and released that power in a massive ball of energy; one that, if made contact, would turn whatever it hit to literal dust. He felt uncomfortable watching them get set up, trying not to think about being on the receiving end of one.

While the soldiers of his platoon finished helping with the defenses, Colton walked over to the central building within the town, the only one he considered large enough not to be called a hut. Outside of it, Brax stood with the other three lieutenants and a couple of people whom Colton figured were townsfolk: two men and a woman. Each had long brown hooded cloaks wrapped around them, keeping the sand out of their clothes and eyes. The woman was scared, clutching the arm of the larger of the two men, while the smaller man kept tapping his foot and glancing off in a direction beyond the walls.

Once Colton walked up, Brax addressed his lieutenants. “The mayor and his wife,” he pointed to the man and woman clutching one another, “have informed me that a krugal tribe has established its presence in this area and has caused conflict, striking against the town’s people. They have killed seven innocents, all struck down on the opposite sides of those cliffs.” Brax pointed to the northeast of the town, where two massive precipices covered most of the expanse of the outlining area.

The only way past that Colton saw was a small path running through the middle of the cliffs, where the other man kept shooting nervous glances. Colton remembered it on the map.

The mayor stepped forward and explained, “They appeared from nowhere. I fished in the lake on that side just the day before. Then five tourists traveled to the caves the next morning and never returned.”

“My father owns the inn,” the nervous looking man said. “He sent me through the path to go find them. I went straight to the caves, not seeing any krugals. But...” He gulped. “I did see the five mutilated heads stuck on poles outside of the entrance.” He hugged himself and looked at the ground.

The mayor continued, “We figured out it was the krugals when we spotted them on the clifftops, scouting our town. I sent men of our own out to observe them in turn and ended up losing two. The ones that returned informed me most of the tribe stays within the caves while a few small parties roam out of them. I believe those parties are scouting us out, devising a plan of attack.”

Colton squint his eyes to get a better view of the clifftops. There seemed to be nothing there, though the red skyline made it hard to tell. He looked towards the path, the only way through the cliffs, and got a bad feeling in his gut.

They spent a few more minutes talking to the mayor, mostly Brax asking questions. The krugal appearances at the edge of the cliffs seemed random in time, and when they happened, the beasts did nothing but stare down on the town. The mayor also informed them that the cave entrance was about fifty yards to the right when one came out of the cliff path. It was a narrow downward passage that opened into a vast chasm, with multiple smaller tunnels sprouting off of it.

When finished, Brax sent the three townspeople back into the central building, the inn, where the entire town was staying to be kept safe. He waited for them to disappear inside before relaying, “By all accounts, the krugals seem to have their camp set up in those caves. But there has been no one to confirm this, so, Lieutenant Samson, we will need you to perform that reconnaissance. Try to figure out if they are there, and if not, then where. And find out what it is they are planning. But do not engage them unless necessary.”

Colton glanced again at the path, disliking everything about it. He still said, “Yes, sir.”

“We move forward as planned,” Brax continued. “First and Second Platoons will hold here and finish up on the defenses. Those sightings in the clifftops can be a diversion. There is plenty of open space around the town, but it will not take them long to cover it if they decide to, for instance, burst out of those canyons to the west.

“Unjil, you take your platoon and escort Samson and Fourth to the path entrance but remain on this side of the cliffs. Hold there. From that point, there is nowhere an enemy attack could hit that we could not come to your aid in time or vice versa. You can also reinforce or aid Fourth Platoon from that location if need be.”

“So I’m sending my soldiers through the pass alone?” Colton asked. “I don’t think I need to tell you it’s a perfect place for an ambush. We’ll be sitting ducks out there.”

He didn’t think Brax understood the “sitting ducks” reference, but he seemed to have gotten the main point. “No, I do not need you to explain that you will be fully exposed. Stay vigilant and on guard. It has to be done. We need to know where our enemy is and what they are planning.”

For a moment, Colton’s frustration made him want to lash out, thinking Brax was putting him in that spot to screw with him. But he used his lessons and calmed his mind with the realization he was in the wrong. Brax was a dick, but they had devised their plan well before they knew the circumstances. He was treating the situation as realistically as anyone could.

I need to do the same.

He took a hit to his pride admitting it, but Colton nodded in acceptance. “Perhaps we can use the hovercraft to more safely and effectively scout them out?”

Besides “coms,” which were radios for long-distance communication amongst the platoons, the last thing they had for the mission was a hovercraft able to fit about five people. It was circular, not very fast, and meant more as a means to rise to higher heights than to travel distances.

“No,” Brax responded. “We may need the hovercraft as easy access to those clifftops or a way to evacuate wounded. I will not risk it being damaged or falling under krugal control.”

Colton inclined his head again, seeing sense there. He noted they could use some flying drones right about then. But none were supplied. Solara made it relatively simple to bring one down, lessening their effectiveness for offensive scouting. However, he would have still liked one to offer a glimpse of what he was heading into.

Brax turned back to the other lieutenants. “We are finished then. You all know your orders. Let us get this done.”

A little more than an hour later, Colton stared into a perfect death trap, the cliff path’s entrance. The cliff walls rose at least fifty feet on both sides, and the trail width was less than that, maybe forty feet. According to the holographic map he had with him, it was a couple of miles to the other side.

Unjil had sent some of her soldiers farther out into the plain north of the town to scout the clifftops. They had just com’d in and reported no sightings. Unfortunately, that wasn’t much of a comfort to Colton.

All it takes is one lone lookout crouching out there, and they’ll have plenty of time to spring a trap.

“All right, Fourth Platoon,” he said, addressing his soldiers spread out in front of him. “Orders are orders. We have to go through this path.”

He took a deep breath, thinking through all his training up to that point, making sure his plan was the best he could come up with. “I want the squads to stay spread out from one another but no more than twenty paces apart. Hug the walls and keep your eyes and ears open. I want to be ready for any signs of trouble, and that means linking up if need be.”

A series of acknowledgments followed his words, and Colton looked around at the faces of his men and women. They hadn’t been thrilled with the order of moving through the cliff path either, viewing it the same way he did. But he’d be damned if that would affect them.

“We got what everyone else wanted,” he declared. “We’re on the front lines and will probably be the first to see action.”

He paused and gazed around, realizing they were about to enter a dangerous situation, and he could barely tell the difference between them all. Earthlings and Spacelings stood together in matching uniforms, making the same nervous or excited gestures and faces.

It brought a smile to his lips, and he yelled, “Let’s show how capable we are. Let it from here on be said you not only don’t go up against the Throne...” He paused a moment to find a phrase to appease both cultures. “But you sure as the prophet’s hell want nothing to do with Vintara Company!”

There was a moment’s pause where his soldiers glanced sideways at one another before they bellowed a roar of agreement.

Colton added, “Now let’s find these bastard beasts and show them exactly who they’re messing with.”

Another cheer rose, and his platoon wasted no time hefting weapons and marching into the path.

They had learned in their classes that linking past eleven people could harm everyone involved. So Colton divided his platoon into four preordained eleven-person squads. He had chosen the four sergeants to lead each, and they knew they would get control of the link if need be.

He loved his friends, but of them in his platoon, Morris wasn’t great at maintaining his cool, Ace had his momentary lapses in intelligence, and Kevin was Kevin. So Colton gave control of First Squad to Murel from the mock battle. A cocky Huranian strong in the power, Crusad, led Second Squad. A brute of a Gorian named Vig took Third. And Colton handed Fourth to an older woman from Earth named Debbie. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, was bright, and had a good head on her shoulders. She had two young kids back home, and he knew she enlisted to do her part in protecting them. He couldn’t imagine how difficult being away from them was for her and respected it fully.

As his people filed in between the two cliffs, he turned to a smirking Unjil and said, “We’ll have our coms on. I’ll keep you informed of any trouble.”

The coms were tiny earpieces they put into their ears. A simple wielding would transmit their words to those with the same pieces. Everyone in the company had one.

Unjil nodded, and in what he knew to be her deceptively sweet-sounding voice, she replied, “I am having two of my soldiers tail you from behind as a safeguard.”

Colton had no problem with that. With the use of Solara, even krugal use, if they fell into a trap with the cliffs on both sides, the communications could easily be severed through all the wielding. They had been warned of it.

Once his men and women were all in, he stepped into the pathway and made his way to the front, surveying their positions and keeping two squads on each wall, at least twenty feet between each. He stayed in the middle, wanting the best view of the clifftops above them, which only that location provided. And though he’d be a lone target like that, he trusted his defensive skills enough to decide he was the one for the job.

With a glance around and the decision that he was satisfied with their setup, he motioned to his soldiers and moved forward.

At the first bend in the path, he looked back, his nerves kicking in almost as bad as the day he had left Earth. Unjil deployed her two tails as they rounded the corner.

The map showed a few twists and turns within the path, but those were only the major ones. The beginning was nothing but zigzagging their way through narrower spaces. Colton kept expecting an attack, looking up to observe the clifftops above. It would have been the perfect place for one. But all he saw was the brown edge of the cliffs against the dark red sky.

His soldiers were just as antsy.

“We should send people ahead, make sure the way is clear,” a Spaceling named Crimton said.

Colton had thought of that but didn’t like it. “They won’t show themselves to a couple of soldiers, Private. They will wait until they can go for the bulk of us.”

Crimton threw his hands up and declared, “Why give them the chance? Spread everyone out and send a few forward at a time.”

“Why?” Morris sounded his usual impatient self. “So they can pick us off one by one, smart-guy?”

Crimton glared at him. “No, Earthling. So that we can be warned of an attack ahead. We should at least send a few to check.”

All right, we’ll send you, Colton thought, not in the mood to deal with the fool. The anxiety of waiting for an attack became taxing.

He opened his mouth to explain, but Vig, Crimton’s sergeant, saved him the trouble. “In these narrow spaces and those high walls, if there is anything ahead of us, it is a trap we will not foresee. Therefore you send someone ahead, and the Krugals will likely let those few walk through it. Then they hit the whole platoon and will not have a problem finishing a couple of stragglers afterward.”

“And as Private Morris so eloquently stated,” Colton added, “if we split up and send multiple groups ahead at a time, it will only make it easier for them to take us out individually. So we’ll stick together and give ourselves the best chance of defending against whatever they bring. Now, I don’t want to explain myself to you again, Soldier.” He thought of Demoric watching.

Crimton scowled but said nothing.

Colton shook his head.

Unjil com’d in a couple of times to inform them everything was safe behind but warned the tails could barely keep them in sight through the twists and turns. She also kept Brax updated on what was happening because the surrounding cliffs toyed with the signal, and Colton couldn’t reach him in the town.

They were in the path for about fifteen minutes when they came to a more open and straighter stretch. Everyone relaxed a little when they did. The stretch offered better visuals of the surrounding clifftops and left more room for a size of forty-five people to maneuver comfortably.

Colton walked the platoon halfway down it before he brought them to a halt. “Let’s take a water break, but stay focused and ready.”

They didn’t need rest, but in the seemingly safe place, he wanted to double-check the symmetry of the path ahead before venturing into it. He knelt in the center of his soldiers and pulled out a small cube that, when pressed, displayed the holographic map. He saw the straight stretch followed by a couple more bends that would lead out of the cliff path itself.

If they are going to attack, one of those narrow spaces will be the place.

Ace knelt next to him and offered water.

Colton accepted the canteen as Ace asked, “What are you thinking?” He added with a smirk, “Sir.”

Colton took a sip and handed it back. He looked up at the two others that had gathered, Debbie and Crusad. He stared at the emblem of rank on the two sergeants’ shoulders: two swords crossed inside of a sun. He responded, “I’m thinking if an attack is coming, it will be somewhere in the next couple of bends.”

Crusad grinned. “Let them attack. I have seen you fight, Lieutenant. They cannot take you. And they sure as the prophet’s wrath cannot take me. We will be fine.”

Colton chuckled. “While I appreciate the positivity, our mission is to locate them and try to uncover their plan. Orders are to do it without conflict if possible. So, can anyone think of a way to make that happen?”

Their silence said it all.

“We will have to push through and hope for the best. I’ll let the others know too, but if I say run, I want people ready to run. I’ll notify Unjil that we’re hitting the last—”

Colton fell silent. The thought of Unjil made him look back at her tails. The straight stretch was clear behind them. With them stopping, they should have been within eyesight by that point.

He wielded a spark of Solara into his headpiece and informed, “Unjil, I’ve lost your tails. Are you there?”

He got nothing in response. A tingling cold crawled up his spine.

“Unjil, what’s going on? Can you hear me?”

When there was again no answer, Debbie and Ace shared a worried glance. Colton stood up to get a better view down the way they had come. That’s when from the corner of his eye, he noticed it.

His eyes opened wide as a boulder the size of a small car flew out from over the clifftop to his right. It was tough to make out against the dark sky, but he followed its trail down and was horrified to see Morris standing there, oblivious as he scanned the cliffs on the opposite side. Colton screamed his name.

Morris sensed it perhaps a second before it hit. He tried to throw up an energy shield, but the rock didn’t fall by just gravity; it had a Solara boost of its own behind it. His half-wielded shield stood no chance. The boulder shattered it and crushed not only Morris, but the soldier standing next to him, blood splattering out in a circle around it. It hit so hard that it buried itself more than a quarter into the ground.

Colton’s first sensation was a stab of disgust. He stood stunned, staring at the red-stained boulder until a second impact snapped him out of it.

Another had hit on the opposite side. He was unsure if it took anyone else out of the combat-sim, but it brought his thoughts back, and he wielded his Solara in a rush. It was a bad idea.

Still holding onto the horror at seeing Morris crushed to dust, his mind was anything but clear. And when he brought the power forth, the fear almost drove him to his knees.

He’s not dead. He’s just out of the simulation. You need to act before others are too.

He looked up to spot two more boulders coming over the top of both sides. “To the middle,” he yelled. “Squads, link up!”

It was easier said than done. There were now multiple boulders flying over at a time, and they landed both in front and behind Colton so that he didn’t know what was better: retreating or moving forward. He watched two more men and a woman get taken out.

People yelled around him, but he tried to scream over them, “Move! Move forward! Link and get your shields up. Don’t let them pin you in.”

The boulders made the already narrow pathway even smaller. Colton, who still had Ace, Debbie, and Crusad with him, was able to maneuver around the massive rocks. They got out of the main stretch of them and into a more open area. He took his first step out when he looked up to see another descending straight down on top of them.

“Link up! Give me command!” he shouted.

Any doubts, any hesitation from them would have meant their simulation deaths. They would all have felt what it was like to be crushed by a giant rock. But they didn’t freeze, and more importantly, they showed complete trust in him.

For one brief moment, their four energies clashed against one another, and Colton could tell all the others apart. There was Ace, sleek and confident. Crusad was similar to Ace, with his confidence radiating amongst him but a bit more capable in the power. And last was Debbie, mediocre in her power but with a protectiveness about her that controlled her Solara.

Colton had practiced linking at Dulver night and day with Kyla, which had become mandatory at the camp. So when it only took a heartbeat for the three other energies to submit willfully to his, it took even less time for him to scoop them up, accept them, and control the massive gain in power. He threw an energy shield up comprising a mixture of all their wielding colors. And with the increased capacity, he barely felt the boulder bounce off and land next to the circle he had encased them in.

Debbie and Crusad’s squads poured out behind them. They had been up forward with Colton when it began, so most made it out to the more open area with him. The two squads linked up themselves and shielded the boulders off.

Now out in the open, Colton looked as well as he could over the tops of the rocks. Vig and his squad made it out on the other side, back in the direction they had come. But Murel and his soldiers had become trapped in the middle. They were linked and fending the rocks off, only to pin themselves further in.

The attack reached a stalemate. From what Colton could see and count, it looked like the krugals had gotten at least nine of his soldiers, but everyone else was linked and able to drive the rocks off. He and those he was with moved farther back when their area became too crowded, and Vig, who fell out of sight, must have been doing the same.

Why keep throwing the boulders? Separate us before attacking? He glanced down the stretch in front of them but saw nothing. No, they have us plenty separated. Now would be their chance.

He looked back at Murel and First Squad, struggling to get out. Boulders piled atop one another.

Colton heard a crack.

Through openings between the rocks, he noticed Murel and those around him staring down at the ground in their little circle with frightened and panicked faces. Boulders blocked the view, so Colton couldn’t tell what drew their attention.

He heard more cracks, and Murel took a step back.

Another boulder flew through the air, and Murel looked up at it and then at Colton. They had just enough time to make eye contact and for Murel to open his mouth to scream before the boulder hit directly in front of First Squad’s shield. There was one giant snap, and everything there, including Murel, his shield, and his squad, disappeared into the ground.

Colton stared wide-eyed as boulders planted next to Murel’s squad began to fall, and a dark abyss formed and grew, heading straight for him and his soldiers. He turned around and ran with everything he had, the link he controlled cutting off and fading from his mind with the loss of focus. He maneuvered around boulders of his own when he comprehended what was happening. The caves must be underneath us.

As he ran, he sensed the blackness swallowing up behind him. It didn’t help that the boulders still fell as well. From his peripherals, he made out a woman running, a rock landing in front of her, and by her fading scream, slowing her down enough to fall into the dark.

He was thankful for the time on the Trek because the Colton who had first entered Camp Penski would have been devoured immediately.

Boulders landed in front of him, but he sidestepped around. Others weren’t so lucky. The fastest guy, way ahead of everyone else, seemed clear until a boulder fell directly on top of him. Colton didn’t give it a second glance as he ran by.

Sensing he had opened some distance between the abyss and himself, he wasted no time looking back and kept running. He reached the first bend, but giant rocks continued falling, and the ground still tore away. He saw others get crushed and heard the screams of those too slow behind him.

Colton was thankful he had gotten slightly ahead because as some rocks flew over, he knew they wouldn’t leave much room in the narrower areas once they landed. The path was getting tighter, and at least five times, he avoided death by having a burst of speed or sidestepping at just the right moment. All until he no longer heard the boulders falling and thought he might make it.

That was until he rounded the final bend and slowed to a stop. Stacked five boulders wide and three high, the path to the exit was entirely blocked off. They had nowhere to go.

The ground shook, and he turned to see it still giving way and falling. Others slowed beside him, but he knew there was no time to focus and link back up in the frenzied panic.

“Hit the boulders with everything you got,” he screamed before running straight for the rocks. He sent two powerful blasts of energy forward, and a few strides before the exit, he closed his eyes and put everything he had into thinking of himself as a human wrecking ball.

Through his Solara, he sensed the boulders approach, surged his power around him, and felt the rocks smash apart as he made contact. He opened his eyes, relief sweeping through him as he realized he was through to the other side. That only lasted until he saw a squad of krugals lining the exit, waiting for their pickings.

47

Colton hadn’t let go of the power that allowed him to break through the boulders, so he used it to smash through the krugals.

Though it was tough to tell on their monstrous faces, he thought they must have been surprised. They threw up a last-second shield, but he burst right through it. He heard the bones break in the one he hit square on, knowing it was dead as it smacked the ground limp twenty yards away. The two to either side flew off in opposite directions, and while they probably weren’t killed, they wouldn’t be getting up right away.

Colton kept running until he reached the limp krugal’s body. It molded into a stone statue, which signified death in the simulation. Next to it, he fell exhausted to the ground. Gasping for air, he rolled onto his back to witness a chaotic scene unfolding at the opening they came through.

Ace spun away from a krugal’s claw swipe. Debbie gave everything she had to shield a heaving Kevin from two others. A shorter Spaceling woman with dark hair, also struggling for breath, dueled a krugal almost twice her height with a javelin. And the annoying Spaceling, Crimton, fought a krugal of his own.

Near the path’s exit, fighting back-to-back to hold off three krugals, were an Earthling and a Spaceling: Mike and Juilon. They swirled through a massive dust cloud that must have resulted from his burst through the boulders. Colton noted that being Earthling and Spaceling wasn’t making much difference to them at that point.

And the last survivor was Crusad. Colton spotted him just as he put his sword through a krugal’s neck.

He counted them in his head. Eight. Only eight others made it out?

He tried to get up but only managed to rise to one knee, needing to catch his breath. He didn’t understand what he had done to burst through the boulders, but it had taken a lot out of him.

Continuing to steady his breathing, he scanned the enemy numbers. He had eight fighting his friends, along with the two he had sent flying, now getting up on both sides of the fight. Two more emerged out of the dust cloud by the exit, and if he wasn’t mistaken, more were coming down from the cliffs, probably the ones who had sprung the trap.

He forced himself up and took a few steps forward before grabbing his stomach and dropping back to a knee, still having trouble breathing. It felt like having the wind knocked out of him, mixed with the worst cramp he had ever experienced. He closed his eyes to calm himself and slowly inhaled and exhaled tiny breaths. It took a moment, but he regained his feet.

The others must have also been tired, but they held their own. Ace brought down a krugal with a swipe of one short sword to the leg and the other to the beast’s chest. He immediately moved over to help Debbie and Kevin, where the latter had gotten up, and while still looking scared, at least attempted swings at the enemies with his sword. The woman Spaceling, who must have taken down her original opponent, joined them. Colton was having trouble remembering her name through the confusion.

Standing on his feet and not moving, he finally regained his composure. His stomach loosened up, and his head cleared. He pulled his sword from the sheath at his hip and wielded Solara with about as clear a mind as he could manage.

Moving forward, he reached the violence simultaneously as the two krugals he had flung to the sides. He stopped and watched as they, along with the two emerging from the dust, threw their arms up in the air, and a Solara link and shield formed amongst them. Turning back to the battle, it was clear that the shield took effect on every krugal still standing and, therefore, every fight.

Crusad had been about to help Crimton, but his sword hit a solid wall of energy at the krugal’s back that engaged him. And the three beasts attacking Mike and Juilon pressed their attack once they didn’t fear being struck. The humans held it off, but their defense broke once the two krugals from the dust cloud joined the fight.

Colton tried wielding to defend them, but he was tired and weakened. They were the farthest away, and he could do nothing but watch in horror as they fell under five pairs of krugal claws.

No!

He looked up and saw the krugals coming from the cliffs were closer. It was game over if they made it to reinforce the enemy side. He screamed, “Everyone link with me, now!”

He felt them instantly. Again there were the energies and powers naming carefree Ace, maternal Debbie, and confident Crusad. There was also Kevin, weaker but willing to do whatever he could. The last was a stronger power, proud, determined, and female.

When linking, one sensed everything about the person they connect with. Colton sensed their strengths, characteristics, moods, body type, and gender. The Spaceling woman was a perfect example—a strong and proud power rolled into a tiny little ball. As a man wouldn’t usually be less than five feet and weigh less than a hundred pounds, neither would he be such a small focal point in the link as she was. But while she was a little ball, it was one that shined brighter than any of the others. She held much of the power of the stars in her.

She only makes five?

“Crimton!” Crusad yelled. “Link!”

Colton looked over and realized Crimton still fought the one krugal. The others had all moved towards Colton.

The krugal let Crimton tire himself out, swinging his axe left and right but never breaking the shield. As he did, he screamed, “I am not linking with a Forsaken freak.”

Colton didn’t like the guy, but he’d lost enough soldiers. “Link with us, now. That’s an order!”

There was no boost in the connection.

“You saw what the lieutenant did with those boulders,” the Spaceling woman said as she defended herself, edging closer to the group. “That is something I would expect from a Runebar.”

“No!” Crimton snarled as he hacked. “They are a plague. He is a plague.”

Colton spotted two krugals coming up behind the fool. He had no love for Crimton or anyone like him, but he was a member of his platoon. “One chance,” he yelled back, “Take it or leave it.”

“Go burn on the sun.”

Idiot!

Colton threw up an energy shield around himself and the five others. It saved a claw to Debbie’s head and gave the opening the others needed to reach him.

Crimton had no such shield, and when the two beasts got to his back, they ripped their claws right through it. He fell with a scream and turned to stone, the anguish on his face evident in his statue form.

“What’s the plan, Colt?” Ace asked.

He felt at the enemy link. He could see faint lines of Solara weaving amongst the krugals, connecting them. And he saw where they rooted from, a krugal with a limp, one he had initially thrown to the side.

Kevin grabbed his arm. “Colton, sir, shouldn’t we run?”

He looked down at his trembling friend. “No, we can do this, Kev,”—he shook his head—“Private. They don’t know the strength we have.”

Kevin’s shaky but reassured smile was all he needed. Colton took everything he had, the power of the six combined, and as one giant spear of energy, thrust it at the limper controlling the link. The krugal threw an energy shield of its own up, but the humans’ spear, more powerful, pierced right through it. It shattered the protection and the controlling krugal’s head with it, breaking the link.

“Hurry, take them down before they get a new one up.”

Colton ran forward with his sword held out in front of him, sensing the others following behind. There were ten of the krugals left, and when he sent another spear of green power through one’s chest, there were only nine. Knowing he wouldn’t be able to fight and concentrate on all of them, he gave up the link so that others had their powers back and met claw with steel.

The krugals were shirtless, wearing pants ranging from loose wool to tight leather. As Colton approached up close, he paused, transfixed by their appearance and stature. The large, round, white heads with giant black eyes, slimy, black, pointy teethed mouths, and tall, muscular bodies were one thing to see as a hologram, quite another when one towered over you. And the one nearest him was hissing like some freakish monster in a horror movie.

The moment’s pause almost cost him. He narrowly backed away from two simultaneous slashes from a krugal’s claws and swung his blade at the thing’s side. It sidestepped, lashed its closer arm forward, and a claw grazed his shoulder. Piercing pain bit his flesh, and he almost dropped his sword. The krugal turned back and swung its other arm. Colton stopped it with the blunt side of the blade. He almost wasn’t ready for the small force of Solara the beast tried taking him by surprise with, but he trickled energy into his raised weapon, creating its own shield, deflecting it.

The cut on his shoulder burned as blood ran down his uniform. His sword felt twice its normal weight.

Ace appeared beside him. “Having trouble?” he asked before spinning around the krugal, swinging.

The beast deflected one short sword, but Ace’s other caught the krugal’s calf. And when the thing dropped to a knee in a growl, Colton swung his sword like a bat, beheading it. There was a quick vision of dark blood, more brown than red, squirting through the air before the beast’s remains froze to stone.

Ace’s warning call, “Colt!” came just in time. Without it, Colton would never have gotten out of the way of the second krugal that had come up behind him.

The beast swung a massive arm. He dodged, and having seen the double-swing approach from his first foe, he met the second with the sharp side of his blade. He cut the krugal’s arm clean off, sending it flying through the air. The beast reared back to hiss a scream, and Ace sprouted up from behind, sticking both his short swords through its lower back.

When it fell on its side to stone, Colton looked up at Ace and grinned.

Ace smiled and declared, “This is badass.”

Colton grunted in amusement before they both turned to scan the rest of the field.

Crusad faced two krugals and didn’t break a sweat. He kept a constant energy shield up that neither penetrated, and it was all they could manage to hold his attacks off. On top of that, an out-of-place mound of rock at their feet was a third he must have already taken down.

Debbie and the Spaceling woman worked together to fend off two more. They were a good team, Debbie maintaining a shield around them and the Spaceling lashing out with her spear to attack. They had a broken statue lying below them, which meant at least one more enemy down.

That left one last krugal and Kevin. Kevin threw a clumsy swing of his small sword, and the beast’s snarl seemed more like a smile as it easily swung the blow aside before backhanding the kid onto the ground. He didn’t stand a chance.

Colton wasn’t far away. He built up energy inside of him and was about to release it to take the thing down when a tremendous force took him from behind. It felt as if a hundred-mile-an-hour fastball, only the size of a softball, hit him square in the shoulder. The wind was again knocked out of him as he crashed face-first into the ground. It was the opposite shoulder as the one he was cut on, but it still sent a searing pain throughout the wounded area and left the one it hit fully numb. He spent a minute on his stomach, groaning in agony and coughing up dust before remembering Kevin.

He looked up to see that the krugal had somehow gotten a hold of Kevin’s sword and could only watch as the beast stabbed the kid through his midsection.

Not waiting to see Kevin mold to rock, Colton flipped on his back and spotted the dozen more linked krugals at the base of the cliffs, one with arm outstretched, clearly responsible for what just hit him. He had to credit them for a hell of a shot. They were still a hundred yards off. I must be tired if I didn’t feel that power coming.

Ace bent to help him up, and Colton nodded to the krugal reinforcements that had set the trap in the cliffs. He flexed the now throbbing pain in one shoulder and put a hand over the searing cut on the other. Ace looked at him, and the two shared an understanding. They spun around and ran in the opposite direction, away from the newly arrived krugals.

The beast that had taken out Kevin turned to meet them. Colton still held onto his Solara and sensed Ace gathering energy next to him. Colton sent a burst of power, taking down the shield the beast put up while Ace’s lightning-shaped hazel-colored attack followed, hitting the thing in the face and finishing it.

Crusad and the two women had eliminated their opponents. The three frowned at Colton and Ace running before gaping at what was behind them. They all turned to flee. There hadn’t been a moment’s break since before the initial flight through the cliff path. The group wasn’t up to taking on another set of linked enemies.

Colton squeaked out between breaths, “To the caves.”

Luckily, the krugals had gathered on the opposite side of the path exit. Colton ran forward along the cliff base, knowing that not far up ahead, the entrance should be to the right. It wasn’t hard to find. The poles topped with human heads marked it. They surrounded the depression in the cliff wall that hollowed out to form the entrance.

Colton ensured he was the first in, hopping and skipping down the gradual decline, banging his cut shoulder against the wall and sending a sharp pain down his arm. It took a couple of minutes to get down before entering a vast chamber he remembered seeing on the map.

His first instinct was to look around for instant trouble. To his relief, the chamber was clear of other life. He scanned the multiple cave tunnels that protruded from the room. The krugals couldn’t search them all, but he had no idea where any led. He didn’t want to become pinned in a narrow space somewhere. So when he noticed a good amount of sunlight emitting out of one of the caverns, he figured that would offer them their best shot. It has to be an open area.

When he emerged into the light, he knew where he was. The first clues were the multiple boulders and chunks of gray and brown clay scattered everywhere. When he looked up and saw the twisting opening in the ceiling that emitted the light, and the walls that rose outside of the cavern, he understood he was under where the cliff path had been. Here’s where everything fell during our little run.

He heard a sound from the chamber outside and knew they were short on time. The advantage of being where they were was that the surrounding rubble created plenty of hiding spots. The disadvantage was that most of it blocked off going anywhere far enough out of site. He scanned the immediate vicinity. There are spots, but for five of us?

“Lieutenant!” the Spaceling woman whispered as she tugged on Colton’s cloak. She held it up and stated, “The cloaks.”

Colton looked back at his, seeing the sunlight hitting it. Where it met the ground, it molded into the rubble perfectly. He turned to the others. “Hurry. Blend in.”

He snuck between two boulders and tossed the cloak over himself, glancing to see Ace lying next to a mound of rock, becoming camouflaged. From underneath, Colton realized the veil was sheer from within, allowing him to see straight through. He wasn’t sure where the others had gone, but by the silence, he figured everyone had found a spot.

They waited a minute, no one moving or making a sound, before two krugals entered. The black eyes scanned the cavern, looking for what was left of his platoon. They walked in a bit, checking behind boulders, tossing heavy-looking rubble aside to search beneath. One came within five feet of him, and he held his breath as it scanned around. Its large eyes rolled right over him. It was an effort not to let out a sigh of relief when the beast turned and strolled back toward the entrance.

The two made guttural sounds to one another before they walked out of the cavern.

Colton let a few moments pass before he whispered to the others, “Stay down.”

He got up, kept the cloak wrapped as tightly around himself as possible, and tip-toed to the cavern opening. In the entranceway, he crouched down, remaining in the blending sunlight, and witnessed what was happening in the chamber.

The krugals searched every tunnel and cavern in pairs. When they must have finished their inspection, they all came together. They made more guttural sounds and strange hand movements before heading into a tunnel leading deeper into the caves.

After a minute, Colton threw the cloak off and whispered to his soldiers, “All clear.” He turned to get a better look inside the cavern they had hidden and said in a low voice, “This wasn’t on the map. An area this big should have been on the map.”

“Yeah, it was not,” Crusad agreed. “Where did the beasts go?”

“They all went down the same tunnel, one running straight under the cliff and deeper into the ground.” Colton turned to the Spaceling woman. “What’s your name, Private?”

She perked up. “Doku sir, Violet Doku.”

Colton raised his eyebrows. “Violet. An Earthling name.”

She shrugged and responded, “A color. We are all human. It is only natural for my father to name me after something he found beautiful.” She gestured at his cut, “Let me heal that wound for you, sir.”

She was attractive. Round face, full lips, and like many of the Spaceling women, she had short hair that ran only to her shoulders. Hers was black and curly.

Colton looked at his blood-soaked shoulder and arm before angling it toward her. The act caused a dull throb to spasm through his other shoulder, and he winced.

When she frowned, he explained, “I got hit in the back of the other one as well.”

Violet nodded and took his arm in her small hands. “Sir, if this cavern was not on the map, how is it here?”

“Pretty obvious, doll,” Ace answered, nudging up next to her. “They dug it out.”

She looked both taken aback by Ace’s closeness and skeptical by what he said. She pulled Colton’s sleeve back and exposed a three-inch gash right where the arm rounded up to meet the shoulder.

“Is that possible?” Debbie asked.

“Yes, it is,” Crusad answered. “And it makes a lot of sense.”

Violet put her hand over Colton’s wound, and he flinched in pain before gasping in delight. He felt energy pour from her into him, and as it passed, it went from burning against the cut to soothing. When he couldn’t even tell there had been anything there, Violet pulled away, and he caught her as she staggered back.

They were all exhausted, and healing transferred energy from one to another. That must have been taxing, he thought, before grabbing her by the shoulder and helping her sit. “Thank you, Private.”

She smiled up at him and said, “My honor, Lieutenant. I sensed your back as well. It does not seem to be too serious. If we open your shirt, it should be no more than a nasty bruise.”

He flexed and felt much of the ache gone.

She grinned again. “I did what I could.”

Colton squeezed her shoulder. “More than you should have, thank you.”

He turned to Crusad and asked, “What do you mean about the digging?”

Crusad pointed to the chamber they had hidden in and explained, “The ground under the cliff path did not hollow itself out. They must have done it. And while I am not completely sure, I suppose if they linked up enough, it would be possible. They blasted it away chunk by chunk.”

Colton thought it over, deciding it made sense. “According to the townsfolk, they have been here for days,” he added.

Crusad continued, “My worry is if they were all together here and did this, where are they now? They can no longer go through the path, and those other krugals are headed deeper into the caves. If the rest are down there, then...” He frowned, making a realization.

It was startling to Colton when he made the same. “What if they are digging again?” he said. “Somewhere else? Somewhere to set a new trap.”

“They’re digging under the town!” Debbie cried.

Ace’s hazel eyes were wide when he said, “No one in the company will expect it.”

Everyone knew he wasn’t wrong. If the krugals found a way behind the companies’ defenses, they could do severe damage, possibly wiping the whole town out.

“Brax, can you hear me?” Colton wielded into and tapped away at his com, hoping for anything. “Unjil, anyone there?” He got nothing. They hadn’t heard a thing from the opposite sides of the cliffs since before the flight through the path.

“We have to warn them,” he said to the group.

Crusad headed towards the exit tunnel, responding, “Agreed, sir.”

Before anyone else moved, Colton ordered, “Sergeant, wait.”

Crusad turned with a questioning look on his face, along with the others.

“We aren’t certain they are digging under the town,” Colton stated. “They could be digging somewhere else. They may not be digging at all. Our mission is to find out one hundred percent where they are and what they’re doing. We’re not one hundred percent here.”

“They still have to be warned just in case,” Debbie replied.

Of us all, she’s the weakest in the power.

“You’re right, Sergeant. That is why you will be the one to do it.”

She frowned but acknowledged, “Okay, sir.”

He continued, “I want you to exit the caves and take to the clifftop above us. There shouldn’t be any krugals around. If there had been, they would have attacked during the fight. Make for the top, keep your eyes open, and steer clear of any trouble. I need you to get to the edge overlooking the town. Wield to signal them. They’ll send the hovercraft for you. From there, you know what to do.”

She looked confused. “All right, sir, but what about you guys?”

Colton turned to the others. “We’ll rest a minute, build back stamina, and then continue into the caves. If they are planning to surprise the town, maybe sneaking up from behind will allow us to figure out a way to sabotage that plan. And if they aren’t, we can at least find out what they’re up to.”

“Aren’t these tunnels like a giant maze?” Ace asked. “What if we get lost?”

Colton pointed to where he had seen the krugals go. “We can start with the tunnel that group just went into. We’ll work from there. If the tribe has been mostly moving and sticking together as I think they have, that many krugals shouldn’t be too hard to track in these narrower spaces.”

“Yes, but that brings up another question,” Crusad added. “Those other krugals know we ran into these caves. What if they send some looking for us? Or what if we run into a sentry? Sending Debbie off, we will only be four. It could be suicide.”

Colton agreed. It was a risky decision. But their orders were to find out what the krugals were up to, so he would do that. “The area for us to hide here is so widespread I can’t see them sending out search parties; it’d require half their tribe. They know we’re only a few, so they’ll probably keep a watch on their rear, and that’s it. We’ll have to be careful not to walk right out in front of it.”

They thought it over with grim expressions on their faces.

Colton furrowed his brows and put on a commanding voice. “We have a mission to do here, soldiers, one we can still accomplish. It’ll be risky, but we’re going to attempt it. The four of us are strong in Solara. If we stay ready, we can hold off a good force of them. The narrow tunnels may even play to our advantage. Debbie, you’re heading topside. The rest of you are with me. Does everyone understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Violet answered.

“You know it, Colt,” Ace responded.

Crusad shrugged. “Of course, sir, I have no intention of disobeying orders. And I understand it is important to discover their plans. But we have no com signal. Even if we figure out what we need to, what can we do?”

“Won’t know until we get there,” Colton answered. “But we’re going to try it, either way.”

48

Colton sent Debbie on her way, and the group spent a moment’s respite in an alcove off the central chamber. They sipped water and ate bars that gave a boost in energy. The rest, even limited, was helpful.

When finished, Colton’s squad entered the tunnel the krugals had gone into. He knew they were on the right track as where most of the other tunnels, chambers, and alcoves had been dark as night; the one they entered was lit on both sides with torches as far as their eyes could see. On top of that, where some parts of the walls looked worn and faded from years of exposure, the narrower areas appeared freshly scraped up, with dust from the crushed stone scattering the floor. He figured the beasts had recently dug or blasted the tunnel wider to make their trek easier through the tight quarters.

They continued slowly forward, moving at a constant slight pitch downward, deeper into the ground. No one spoke, remaining as silent as possible. After about ten minutes, they came to the first fork in the tunnel. It wasn’t a question of where to go, as one branch was dark and desolate while the other lit up like the noontime sky. Colton even spotted krugal footprints in the new stone dust on the cave floor.

They silently followed that tunnel for a few minutes before it leveled off, and they no longer moved on a downward slope. Colton’s ears had been popping the deeper they traveled, and when they reached the leveling-off point, he couldn’t help but wonder how far underground they were. With one look at the tight space around him, a sense of claustrophobia set in. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Ace moved up next to him and asked, “You all right, Colt?”

He opened his eyes. “Yeah, fine, just don’t like it down here.”

They spent minutes moving farther in, and his unease never changed. He felt relief only when they hit a point that began an incline up.

They came across two more forks, both displaying obvious signs of the correct way to go. At the second, he asked the others, “They can’t be deceiving us, can they? Making it seem like the lit path is the right direction, but it leads us further away.”

Crusad shook his head. “I doubt it. Even if they were that clever, would they have lit the tunnel this far in? We passed too many dark branches for this one to be a false route. They would have lit them all if they hoped to deceive us.”

Colton nodded.

The group trudged along. The incline increased as they went, draining away some of the strength they had gained back. It brought on a dreariness that, when mixed with the brighter light of the small confines, induced a state of tunnel vision. Colton couldn’t say how long they walked in that trance before he recognized the noise of a crackling fire and stopped in his tracks.

They had reached the bottom of what must have been a fifty to sixty-degree incline, leveling off at the top so that they couldn’t see past that point. Looking up, Colton saw the flames of a fire cast shadows across the tunnel’s ceiling. He waved the others back as he crouched down and inched forward for a better look.

He pulled instantly back when a krugal walked into his line of sight and sat at the top of the incline, its back to them. Colton turned to the others and silently motioned them towards the way they had come.

When they had gone out of what he considered hearing distance, he whispered, “Might be a sentry.”

When Violet spoke, a torch flame beside them danced across her violet eyes. “What are we going to do, sir?”

“I don’t see any way of scouting their numbers without declaring our presence to them.”

“So we will attack?” Crusad looked skeptical. “Sir, for all we know, the entire tribe is up there.”

Colton shook his head. “I doubt it. I imagine if they were, we’d hear them.”

Crusad waved his head back and forth as if juggling the idea. He conceded, “I think we would too. But it is still a huge risk. If my life was truly on the line, I am not sure I would do it.”

Colton figured Demoric would hate talk like that. He put on his most authoritative tone and declared, “First off, Sergeant, if I order you to do it, real or not, I expect it done. Secondly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire tribe is around the corner. We are that close to accomplishing our original objective. And after losing a good portion of our brothers and sisters in arms, you’d steer away from that? You’d let their deaths be in vain?”

By the bitter look he gave, Crusad didn’t appreciate the scolding. Like Colton, he probably realized who was watching. But he still mumbled, “No, sir.”

Colton hoped that he didn’t take it the wrong way. When it came to Spacelings, Crusad seemed like one of the better ones.

“This is what we’re going to do,” he explained. “We’ll link. Violet, do you know how to make a silencer shield? To block all sound off to anything behind it.”

She nodded.

“Good. Do you think you can intertwine that with a solid energy shield that will block off an escape?”

She frowned. “Yeah, but that is quite a complex wielding. I am not sure I can manage much else if I have to hold that.”

“If the passage is narrow like it is here, cut it off across the tunnel and reinforce it. If not, we’ll just have to ensure nothing gets through to you.”

He gestured to Ace and Crusad. “While she holds them from escaping or making any noise, it’s our job to take them out. And also keep them away from her.”

It wouldn’t be easy. With Violet controlling all of their Solara to perform her tasks, they’d only have their physical weapons to use.

Ace and Crusad still acknowledged the order.

He turned back to Violet. “All right, Doku, you don’t wield that energy until we are up top and the entire area is exposed, got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let’s do this.”

They linked up, and the three guys handed the power off to Violet. They crept back to where they had spotted the krugal, Violet holding back so that the wielding wasn’t sensed. The beast still had its back to them.

Colton counted with his fingers and mouthed to three before they made a silent burst up the slope. Crusad reached the top first and cut the krugal’s head clean off.

The situation they emerged into wasn’t what Colton had hoped for. A tight corridor would have made things much easier for all of them. Instead, they had come out into a small open area where the opposite side expanded wider until it was about three subway tunnels in width.

But Violet was good. She ran up, and a dark greenish haze appeared along the entire width of the tunnel. Colton assumed that was the silencer shield, while the purple one that appeared in the same space, but only about a quarter of the size, must have been the energy shield. With the latter being much more taxing to wield, he knew there was no way she could block the whole tunnel.

Colton, Crusad, and Ace each took down another beast before the rest got their bearings. Colton counted eight remaining. He wondered if they were the ones who had set the trap outside.

Two of the eight turned to run while the other six advanced. Those six split into groups of two and came at him and the others. Before his pair reached him, Colton glanced over their heads, noticing Violet’s struggle in holding off and juggling the two trying to escape. When one tried to dash, she would block it with the smaller energy shield, only for the other to try on the opposite wall.

We’ll have to do this quickly.

Colton swung his sword to find that the duo that came at him were linked, and a shield popped up to block his strike. They lunged in unison back at him. And with Violet controlling the power, he had no Solara to stop them. He was dependent solely on speed and skill, stopping one swipe with his sword and twisting out of the way of another. When he swung a side arch, again, it deflected off a shield they had up.

He looked over to see Ace and Crusad, as quick as they were, landing blow after blow but doing no damage.

We can’t carry on in this fashion.

He was about to yell Violet’s name when she must have already realized what was happening. He saw the power release from her and hit the three pairs of krugals at once, shattering all three shields. When his pair stumbled back, Colton glanced at what her effort meant for the two trying to escape.

Her silencer and energy shields vanished, and the krugals burst forward. But twenty yards ahead of them, another double-wielding formed and again blocked off their retreat.

Colton gaped. That’s too far.

He turned back and saw Violet on her knees, struggling, giving it everything she had. He did the only thing he could, spinning around and sending his sword in a mad rush at the two krugals in front of him.

Disoriented from Violet’s attack and their shield now down, the first knocked away the straight jab he sent at it with a claw, but when he followed that with an upward slice, the second krugal wasn’t ready. He opened the foe up from leathered pants crotch to shirtless chest. It fell to stone, and he stepped around, raining swing after swing of his sword down on the sidestepping first krugal. The beast tripped over the fire and crashed to the ground, and he put his sword in its belly.

He stepped over its half-formed statue, preparing to make for the two runners when the power of the stars jolted back into him, and Violet’s two shields again vanished. The escaping krugals paused for a second and blinked at one another before they bolted down the corridor.

Colton had one chance. With the power back in him, he concentrated two bursts of energy, thinking of them as arrows in his mind, and sent them as hard as he could after the beasts. They hit them both square in the back.

He made sure they dropped to rock before he turned and saw that Violet was motionless on the ground. He ran and knelt beside her, amazed. She held the krugals off as long as she had, and not only did she break the three pairs’ shields, but also transferred the power back to Colton and the others cleanly before losing it. If she hadn’t, it would have dazed them in the middle of their fights or possibly killed them.

Her eyes were closed, so he grabbed her head and lightly slapped her cheeks. “Violet, talk to me. Are you okay?”

She stirred and groaned. “Colton, sir, did we get them?”

He looked up. Crusad kicked a pile of rocks that resembled body parts, and Ace crouched down, examining further down the tunnel.

“Yeah, we got them, Doku. All because of you. That was some amazing wielding.”

Her grinning face focused on him. “If this was not a simulation, that amazing wielding would have ended my life.”

Colton frowned.

She got serious. “It feels as if a million knives are stabbing everywhere inside of me. I released everything. My body has no energy left.”

He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Without it, we’re all dead or about to have an entire tribe of krugals bearing down on us. You did a great job.”

She smiled and made a half-laugh, half-coughing sound before she said, “Thanks, Samson. You are sweet. I hope to see you around.” She went into a final hacking fit before going still and turning to stone.

A creepy chill ran through him as, even with it being a simulation, he watched her die right in front of him. He stared in horror at her stone statue for a moment. But that feeling vanished and was replaced with confusion. Was she flirting with me?

He shook his head and turned to the last two soldiers he had. Seeing them stare silently at him, looking for direction, it hit him. If these people had followed me into this situation for real, they’d be dead. No matter the outcome from here: Morris, Kevin, Violet, most of the platoon—they’d all be gone.

The worst part of the realization was that he knew, maybe not in the exact way, maybe not to him, but it would happen for real in the coming war. Lieutenants would lose their platoons, people would lose their friends, and families would lose their loved ones. It was a disturbing thought, one he had always known but had never fully understood, one he knew he still wouldn’t understand until it happened for real.

He didn’t speak. He walked in front of Ace and Crusad and beckoned them to follow.

They continued for minutes more. The tunnel was long and wide, but empty. The others remained silent, perhaps also coming to grips with what it would have meant if the combat-sim was reality.

Be it whatever the case, I failed them. Even if we win this thing, it’ll be with almost my entire platoon gone. How many of them are going to get sent home? Demoric will write me off as a failure and incapable of leading men into combat. And who’s to say he’s wrong?

The more Colton thought, the angrier he became. He hadn’t been holding onto his Solara in order to preserve energy, so it wasn’t the best idea to let his anger get the better of him. But at that point, he didn’t care.

The tunnel opened to a new chasm, and they finally found their objective. Colton slowed at a ledge overlooking a wide cave, where there wasn’t a single krugal focused or even facing their direction. The whole tribe poured through an opening on the other side that emitted sunlight. Dozens upon dozens ran to meet what he felt must have been the town and V-Company.

A few krugals lined the walls, beating drums to encourage their tribes-beasts forward. One krugal in particular, Colton figured, was the leader. The beast was taller and more powerful looking than the rest and wore a necklace of bones around his neck. He waved the others on with a huge staff.

Colton didn’t want to wait any longer. It was only about a five-foot drop from the ledge into the chasm, and he made the hop. He walked forward, and after what must have been a hesitation by them, he heard his two soldier’s feet hit the ground behind him.

Ace was at his shoulder in a heartbeat. “Colt, what are we doing?”

He stopped and looked at Ace. “I know outside of this we’re close friends, but here, I’m your lieutenant. It’ll be better for you to get used to recognizing authority, Private. It might not be me who leads you in the real war.”

He turned back. “There’s no longer any point in warning anyone. They’re already attacking. All we can do now is avenge some of our lost soldiers and take as many of these bastards down as we can.”

Ace and Crusad looked at one another, and both grinned.

“When I stop,” Colton continued, “link up. I’ll control.”

The chasm itself was only about a hundred yards across. He walked about halfway before stopping and wielding the power of the stars forth. His anger hadn’t lessened, so the wielding sent him into a rage, but again he didn’t care. He felt focused, having one simple goal: kill krugals.

Ace’s and Crusad’s powers linked into his, and once he had control, he scanned the opening the beasts poured through. The leader was no longer there. He must have joined the swarm and entered the tunnel that could fit five krugals wide. But there was still a good amount of them on the tail end, and Colton didn’t want to see those numbers get any smaller.

The opening was a circular tunnel, much like the caves he and his men had walked through. But on the outside, right above the entrance, bulges of pointed protruding rocks ran up to the ceiling. He focused on those and sent a stream of power straight at them. The explosion was loud and effective as green energy blew the rocks apart, sending large chunks raining down on the beasts below. Krugals jumped out of the way, but not all were fast enough. At least ten were crushed or impaled, and Colton felt satisfaction that they got to taste some of their own medicine.

He sent two more blasts and, at that point, had the remaining beasts’ attention. Over two dozen were left behind the rubble that now blocked the opening. Colton threw up a shield when they turned his way.

It was more than just a standard energy shield. A circular dome, about twenty feet in diameter, it encased all three of them. But he didn’t want something that every attack against would tax him. He wanted a defense that would sustain itself, allowing him to focus on the deaths he wished to deliver forth. So he cut it off from his control, leaving it stationed in place.

Colton wasn’t sure what it was, they had no practice with anything like it before, but he knew it would do the trick. The first linked krugal-attack hit the shield, but instead of wavering the protection, the energy absorbed and disappeared into the dome.

“Stay together,” he said to his soldiers. “Don’t go through the shield. I think it will work as much against us as it does them.” He couldn’t say why, but it felt right to him that as the krugal’s Solara evaporated into the shield, so would anything he tried to send out of it.

The remaining krugals, linked into three groups, roared and sent more energy blasts soaring at the shield. None made it through. They all hit and disappeared, the protection never wavering or fading. And when their Solara attacks failed, they charged.

Colton’s sword was out, and the blood pounded in his ears. He was ready.

The krugals had linked shields of their own thrown up around them, but when the first wave hit and passed through the dome, the shields melted away from them, and the beasts stopped in confusion.

Colton made them pay for it. He leaped forward and cut one’s belly open before elbowing another in the face. Ace and Crusad were just as quick. Where one of Ace’s short swords took a krugal’s throat, the other found a different one’s chest. And Crusad was the deadliest of the three with his sword. He didn’t just go for kills. His quick strikes made small gashes and cut off limbs, wounding and slowing the front ones down to block those in the back from overwhelming the three.

The krugals still kept coming, however. They could either take the three down or die. Colton had made sure of that.

He was full of rage, and through the link, it rubbed off on the others. They met the beasts as if the numbers were reversed. He slashed one across the chest and turned to take another bearing down on Crusad in the back. The one that had taken the chest wound staggered before coming at Colton again. He ducked under a swing of its arm and ran his blade deep into its ribs. He heard it hit the ground and change to a statue behind him.

Ace had gotten a little separated from them, and when he was about to be overwhelmed by four krugals, Colton remembered he controlled all three of their powers. He sent a gout of fire lighting up the two to Ace’s rear. The distraction made the others in front lose focus, and Ace put a short sword in each of their bellies.

Colton smiled. So you can’t cross the barrier of the dome with the power, but I can use it inside. He began wielding and disintegrating to dust the ever-increasing statues of the dead to make room.

The two he had enveloped in flame ran wildly and shrieked horrible hissing sounds. In their frenzy, they knocked over and trampled some of their allies. He was quick about pouncing on those fallen and putting his sword or a blast of Solara through them.

It was over in minutes. In the end, all three humans stood panting while around thirty krugals lay dead.

Still juiced up on rage, Colton barely took a moment’s pause. He didn’t bother figuring out how to take the dome down. He yelled, “Come on,” and let go of the link and Solara before bursting through it.

When he released the power, however, with his adrenaline winding down, exhaustion crept back up. He shouldn’t have wielded forth the fire. Creating lasting forms of things was twice as taxing as sending a quick energy strike. He could have dealt with the two krugals and their statue friends more efficiently, but he had enjoyed watching them burn.

He ran to the rubble that was the opening. They could link back up and blast it away but didn’t need to. It was only the three of them, and there were gaps large enough to fit through. Colton knew they should save the energy they had left. They meandered their way around, and only when out of the rubble and into the clear of the tunnel did they hear the battle ahead of them. Human screams mixed with krugal shrieks, and explosions and eruptions echoed down the walls.

The three of them ran forward. When the exit came into sight—krugals crowding it, all sorts of different colored Solara visibly flying over their heads—the com in Colton’s ear finally worked again. He heard Brax ordering, “Unjil, clear the beasts out of that house. Liang, keep your platoon focused on the breach. I want no more scattering throughout the town.”

Colton wielded into the com. “Captain Brax, this is Lieutenant Samson reporting from within the tunnel. We’re stationed behind the enemy. What’s the situation on the surface?”

There was a moment’s pause before his com erupted.

“Colton!” Tommy yelled.

“May the prophet’s bless us,” Unjil said. “They made it.”

Even to Colton’s relief, Vig roared, “Lieutenant! Who else is alive?”

And there was Brax. “Samson. We are stable up here. What is your situation below?”

“Sir, we’re in the breach itself. I’m staring at forty to fifty krugals between us and the town.”

Brax sounded confused. “Forty? That is it? How many soldiers are with you?”

“Just Private Castillo and Sergeant Crusad, sir. But these krugals are it. There aren’t any alive behind us.”

“Only forty.” Brax sounded taken aback. “Kulik, are you on your way? I still want to link. Let us blow this hole and finish these prophetless bastards off.”

Colton and the two he was with shared a look.

Tommy spoke for them. “Sir, we have soldiers in that hole. I hope you plan on getting them out first?”

“No, Wilmont,” Brax replied, “I do not. We have a chance to end this fight now. The attack will not be centered far. If they stay back, they shall be fine.”

Colton added, “We will most likely be caved in, sir. Along with whatever krugals survive the blast.”

Brax grunted. “I do not plan to let any of the beasts survive, Lieutenant. You have managed in there this long. You can handle a little longer. We will get you out after.”

Colton didn’t like it, but those were the orders. And something else weighed more on his mind. “Sir, please let me know how many of my platoon made it out of the cliffs?”

“Almost my entire squad,” Vig answered. “Once you ran into the path, they chased after you, not us. And Debbie too. She made it out in time to warn us here in the town. Without her, we might have lost this place.”

Relief swept through him. It wasn’t a complete bust. Much of the failure he had been feeling receded.

He and the two others backtracked. They got to the edge of the rubble, waited, and listened. Brax issued a bunch of orders before Kulik and he linked with a group of others, including Tommy, and sent a surge of energy that echoed up and down the tunnel. Colton didn’t see it, but he felt its strength and was impressed. It crushed the last wave of krugals.

Afterward, he and his soldiers jogged back towards the opening and listened as the company rooted out the remaining beasts in the town itself. They wanted to be there for the celebration, so they linked up and blasted their way out of the tunnel, finishing off a couple of straggler krugals in the process. It took time, the three of them together were strong, but they were tired. And so, after a while, they finally emerged to blinding sunlight and cheers.

The company cheered them for surviving all they had. And when Colton could focus again in the light, he noticed they also circled and cheered the krugal leader, being pinned down by Kulik and David on the ground.

He glanced around, observing that the company had lost a fair amount of soldiers. But all-in-all, it wasn’t a bad result. He spotted Tommy, who nodded, and Debbie stood beside him, giving Colton a big smile.

When he focused back on the center of the circle, the last thing he saw was Brax put his sword through the krugal leader’s chest, ending the combat-sim.

49

The following day wasn’t pretty. Technically Colton spent the combat-sim in the dome and hadn’t done anything physically exhausting. But mentally, all the wielding had been performed; only from a chair instead of in the cliffs and caves. And though the simulator lessened the degree of the energy spent, he and almost all the others still felt as if they had been hit square on by hover-buses.

The high-ranking officers of the camp saw it coming and thus issued a rest day. The only mandatory gathering was at dusk, where they were to have a V-Company meeting with the major to go over the combat-sim results.

That is why Colton lay sprawled out on his cot for the entire morning, along with everyone else within the barrack. “Ace was great,” he said. “He took down at least fifteen of the beasts throughout it all.”

“Only fourteen,” Ace corrected, “but that was nothing compared to Colt. In that last rush alone, he matched that number.”

Colton allowed himself a slight feeling of pride, but he knew there had also been favor on his side. “Let’s not forget that I controlled our link. That helped a lot.”

“Either way,” Kulik jumped in, “you men did a fantastic job. You took down more of the beasts than anyone would have expected. And though it was only by minutes, Debbie getting there in time to warn us was essential to the outcome.”

“Once we positioned soldiers inside of the huts and trenches facing inwards instead of out,” Tommy added, “the first wave of krugals to come out of that hole didn’t stand a chance.”

“Y’all should have been there,” Eric chirped. “It was like a good ol’ turkey shoot.”

Morris grunted. “Sounds horrible. I’m glad I at least got to experience the pain of being crushed to death.”

Even Brax showed praise. “It was certainly perceptive and advantageous for you to pick up on the enemy plan as quickly as you did, Samson. Sending your sergeant to warn us was a deciding factor in the victory. However, I would have liked to have had lesser casualties. We cannot be losing that many soldiers to krugals, no matter how creative they prove to be.”

Colton didn’t have a response. He had spent a chunk of the morning pondering what he could have done differently, not coming up with much.

Kulik came to his aid. “I think they deserve a little more credit than that, Canter. It was a tough trap to fall into, one they did on your orders. I believe they made the best of it.”

Brax didn’t respond, and against all of his will, Colton again mulled over ways he may have avoided that trap or at least gotten more people out alive. It seemed like an hour he dwelled on it before David entered the barrack, and his words snapped Colton’s attention back.

“Did you all hear about the latest news report? Quinnero and Oldirian battle-crafts left port. A major fleet. For now, it’s believed they’re heading to the Sister System. They’re saying someone named Darys Runebar is leading them. He’s an emissary attempting to enlist the sister planets to The Heart’s cause. But if what I heard is true, they deployed enough soldiers to start a good-sized battle somewhere.”

Colton spent a shocked moment in a slight panic. The enemy is on the move! Then another thing registered. “Did you say, ‘Runebar’?”

One of Brax’s Spaceling cronies, Grillop, looked perplexed. “Yeah, Darys Runebar, he is the younger of the Runebar brothers.”

“Didn’t a Runebar escort you from Earth to the Alfadar?” Demarcus asked.

“Yeah,” Colton answered. “But that was Willick. I don’t know a Darys.”

Brax held a slight smirk on his face. “Ah, your secretive friend never told you about his traitorous brother? I am not surprised. I would also be ashamed to name a man like that blood.”

Colton’s thoughts strayed back to Gull’s trial. Tarend Gull had mentioned something about a brother to Willick, but Colton had so much on his mind at the time that it hadn’t fully registered.

“What do you mean, ‘traitorous’?”

Brax began to speak, but Kulik cut him off, addressing all the Earthlings. “The Runebars are an old and powerful Vintaran family. The two most prominent in today’s universe are Willick, who I believe some of you are acquainted with, and his younger brother, Darys.

“For as long as remembered, sons or daughters of the Runebar family have married members of other prominent households, ones from planets allied with Vintara. It is a custom of all influential families that helps keep the peace between the Throne and its worlds. The Shellocks, a well-known house from the planet Goria, had a daughter, Raelin. Both were powerful, young wielders with the stars ahead of them. They married and were the hype of the universe, famously embarking on missions together.”

Kulik shook his head. “But then rumors say a divide formed between them, and Raelin spawned an intimate relationship with Darys. That was the state of affairs for a couple of years until Raelin was ordered to end piracy on the outskirts of the Vintaran System. Something went wrong. The pirates overwhelmed her team, and sadly, she was killed in the fight.”

A pang hit Colton’s gut. Willick’s wife was murdered?

“Willick and Darys flew to the pirates’ location and ended the threat,” Kulik continued. “And when finished, it is said Darys blamed Willick for Raelin’s death and attacked him. Both brothers are some of the most powerful wielders the known universe has seen in some time, so it must have been an epic fight. But in the end, Willick won, leaving his brother with the scar on his face that today marks Darys Runebar for who he is.

“Afterward, Willick returned to Vintara, and Darys disappeared. Neither was seen for some time until weeks later when Ijuna Runebar’s mansion was stormed deep in the night. Both Willick’s parents were killed.”

Colton shuddered. His parents too!

“To this day, the definite perpetrators have never been identified. But more than one servant in the mansion will swear by the prophets that they recognized Darys Runebar leading the attack. And when that came out, Willick lost control. He broke into homes and confronted the surviving servants. The Throne arrested him, and he was held inside the Palace. He stayed there for months, seen by almost no one. During that time, Darys declared himself to The Heart of the Flame.”

Colton whispered, “Darys Runebar.” Speaking the name left a vile taste on his tongue.

“He grew to be The Heart of the Flame’s right-hand man,” Brax added. “They say he has only grown in power since the fight with his brother. I wonder who would win today.”

“I am sure you have seen pictures on the news or elsewhere,” Kulik explained. “Darys always wears his orange cloak and carries a large black axe. His eyes have been wielded black, and he is recognized by the scar on his face.” As he mentioned the scar, Kulik ran a finger from his mouth to eye, and it hit Colton at once.

He remembered a man in an orange cloak who had made Willick shift uncomfortably at the sight of him. He was the other man in Quelper’s video. It had seemed a strange mix of sadness and hate that generated from Darys before he buried his axe into the body of Quelper’s ally.

Colton frowned. How can that be Willick’s brother? He looked at his friends. The shock on Tommy, Ace, and Morris’s faces said it all. They hadn’t forgotten the video either.

He spent the rest of the day thinking long and hard about everything he learned of the Runebar family history. He was in awe that Willick could appear so good-willed and confident after all he had been through. Colton remembered losing TJ and, at the time, believing he had also lost his parents. It had left him on the verge of insanity. He had a profound respect for Willick coming out of his tragedy the way he did.

Colton sat in the theatre-shaped classroom later that day, wondering the next time he saw Willick if he should bring up the story when Demoric entered.

The major strode up to his podium on the dais and addressed the packed room. “Ladies and gentlemen of V-Company, your mission was to defend the town under attack and repel the krugal tribe from the area.” He paused, and the entire room held its breath. They all believed they had done well, and no one had told them differently, but most questioned if stern-faced Demoric would be pleased.

“After observation and review, it has been confirmed that you successfully accomplished your mission with a seventy-one percent survival rate. To be truthful, I am not overjoyed by that number, but given the circumstances, it was still a job well done.”

Everyone in the room exhaled. It wasn’t an overly enthusiastic acknowledgment, but it was good enough coming from the major.

“Now for some bad news. We thoroughly evaluated every recruit’s performance in the combat-sim, and based on our analysis between that and the results beforehand, some of you will leave the camp. Before I go further, this does not necessarily mean the end for you. Many deemed unfit for ground battle will still have the option to join our space fleet.”

At the mention of the space fleet, some Spacelings groaned. Colton had heard that most of the tools and machinery aboard a cruiser were controlled by simple, low-energy wielded Solara. Therefore it was known as more a place for the weaker of wielders to do their part.

“You all will meet one-on-one tomorrow to review your assessment,” Demoric continued. “The captain and his lieutenants of the combat-sim will meet with me. The rest will be assigned to meet with other authorities within the camp.”

Colton glanced around and saw many concerned faces. The Earthlings were just starting to feel like they were becoming capable soldiers. It would be awful to be sent away at that time.

Demoric waved his hand, and a holographic image lit up the front of the room in cinema size. He explained, “For the remainder of today, I find it only prudent that you all get to see your victory firsthand, how we saw it.”

There was a murmur of excitement. For those who had survived the simulation, there was much they only heard instead of witnessed.

He played the video, and the entire Company treated it like a movie. Somehow they had views of every single thing that happened from every angle. Colton closed his eyes and put his head in his hands as the krugals prepared their ambush above them while he and his soldiers sat in the cliff path, becoming more at ease. And when it focused on Morris, as the first boulder crushed him, the crowd groaned and cringed in their seats.

He felt pride from the joyous exclamation displayed when he smashed through the boulders and then the fight and flight to the caves. He also saw some interesting things he hadn’t during the battle. It showed the rest of the Company going frantic, Brax unable to communicate with Colton’s platoon and constantly needing to order Unjil not to go in after them. When Vig arrived with his squad, notifying them what had happened in the path only added to the confusion. But then Brax spotted Debbie on the clifftops and sent the hovercraft to get her.

The room cheered them on when Violet sacrificed herself against the sentry. Colton glanced back to see her getting congratulatory pats. When she noticed him looking, she grinned.

Debbie warned the town, and preparations were made just in time before the assault. Brax had the turrets and people placed in trenches and huts, focusing on the inside as opposed to out. The first wave was destroyed when the hole blasted open in the middle of the town, and the krugals poured out. From inside huts, trenches, and rooftops, the humans laid into them and turned them and their statues all to dust. But they couldn’t maintain the blasts forever, and the next wave came charging when the soldiers took a breather. Multiple squads met them hand-to-hand, holding them mostly in line.

The krugals had lined up in four waves, and Colton, Ace, and Crusad hit them from the rear as the third wave poured through. That wave, with the tribe leader, was the largest and made their furthest advance into the town. The leader took forty krugals with him, and their objective had been to storm straight for Brax. When they pounced, Tommy did one hell of a job helping keep nearly a quarter of them off Brax’s back.

Colton shook his head. Ever modest, he didn’t mention a bit of this.

It focused back inside the chasm as Colton’s dome rose, and exclamation again echoed across the room. They only grew louder once the people saw what happened inside the thing. The entire room cheered Colton, Ace, and Crusad’s last fight before the video switched to the battle in the town and the final krugal killed.

People continued to cheer when it was over, and Colton found many faces gaping at him.

Tommy praised, “First smashing through those boulders, then the whole thing at the end with that dome—that was impressive.”

He knew they had taken down a good amount of krugals, but he still wasn’t sure exactly what he had made with the dome. Reflecting on it, he couldn’t help but feel rather lucky. He shrugged at Tommy and nodded to those staring at him.

When the hologram ended, Demoric stated, “You will all learn your review schedules in the morning. If this is the final time I speak with some of you, know you have my respect. And remember that leaving here does not mean you cannot still help in the coming fight.

“Regardless of the earlier grumblings, there is no dishonor in joining the space fleet. Ground units do not arrive at the battlefield without our naval brothers and sisters watching over us. Nor, if you go home, does that mean your help should cease. Regarding the mindset of this war, all of our worlds are fractured planets. If you do go home, you mend that by spreading the word of what we accomplish here, the greatness that our cultures coming together can achieve.”

Heads nodded across the room, and Colton’s was one.

The combat-sim had indeed shown what they were capable of. If they could spread that cohesion across the planets, then The Heart of the Flame would have arisen a sleeping giant when he attacked Earth. A notion that left Colton smiling on the inside.

When the briefing came to an end, Violet and Crusad approached him. “You mind joining us for weapons training tonight?” they asked.

Colton smiled and agreed.

50

That night, Tommy dueled with Crusad leaving Colton with Violet. In the simulation, he had only slightly noted how attractive she was. Her round face and chubby cheeks induced large dimples when she smiled. And the tights she wore for training displayed strong legs and a roundness in the back that kept drawing his eyes. He got caught staring, earning him a smack on the head with her favored javelin. She had smirked and didn’t seem to mind, though.

Spacelings, seeing Crusad, Violet, and Kulik, and more accepting and curious of the Earthlings now they had fought together, were no longer afraid to come up and ask to join. The room was soon full of Earthlings and Spacelings dueling against one another. It brought a grin to Colton’s face, and he and Kulik nodded to each other. It seemed they had bridged the colossal divide.

The next day Kevin had his review early, and when he returned, it was to pack his bags and inform that he was leaving for the space fleet. After analysis of his sims, the superiors felt he would be a better fit there. Colton was disappointed but not surprised.

The group spent an hour clapping him on the back and wishing him luck. Colton tried to encourage him for the future when he said, “Hold to your strengths, Kev. Few have your heart and will. It’s a rare quality we’ll need much of in the coming war.”

Kevin took it all in with a serious expression before responding, “Thank you, Colton. You were a huge help to me here and an aspiration for many of us. Hold to your strengths as well because I don’t know if you realize it, but you have everything it takes to be The Son of the Prophets. You’re a natural leader, as strong in the power as they come, and just an overall good person. Good luck with the rest of camp. I hope to see you soon.”

Colton found himself taken aback. Those were words he needed to hear. He embraced the kid in a hug and responded, “Thank you. You’re a good man, Kevin Burnside. Be safe out there.”

Not long after, he was on his way to his own review. Thoughts of Kevin fled once he sat outside of Demoric’s office, waiting for their meeting. And when ushered in, trepidation came over him. Colton took a seat, and Demoric’s blank face stared back from behind his desk.

After a moment, the major stated, “It can never be considered a success when you lose three-quarters of your platoon, Recruit. I would have liked better results in the ambush.”

Colton looked down, feeling a mix of anger but understanding. You can’t go around telling people they did a good job when they got thirty soldiers killed.

“But”—Demoric leaned forward—“that test almost always yields a high fatality rate. And I must account for your lack of full training.”

Colton’s head rose.

Demoric continued, “We hint at it and prepare you in the first combat-sim, but few pick up on the warning. Who would expect that the ground could crumble from under you in such a place? It is a challenging situation to cast recruits into but a good lesson to learn, especially for you Earthlings who do not understand everything there is to know out here. In war, those leading need to anticipate all possibilities and prepare for the unexpected.

“And once outside the path, you were almost flawless. You saved as many survivors as possible once the ambush had begun. We cannot lay deaths like that fool Crimton’s on you. He is being sent home. There is no room for people who do not follow orders in our ranks.”

Or xenophobia, Colton thought, satisfied.

“Realizing what was happening and sending someone to warn the town was exceptional. This is a combat-sim meant to take all the recruits by surprise, but I do not regret that you figured it out and warned them. It gave the rest of the company the most significant advantage they could have had, which your platoon earned through the fatalities it received.

Demoric tilted his head to the side. “I would have liked to see Doku survive the encounter with the sentry. But that is another casualty that cannot fall on you, considering you handed her control of the link, which was the right thing to do.

“And as for the final fight there, it was risky for only three of you to take on that many krugals face-to-face. You put Castillo and Crusad in extreme danger alongside yourself. The rest of the company would not have struggled with taking them out. But you could not know that. And in the end, you probably saved more human lives, so I can in no way rebuke you when that was the outcome.”

Colton tried to sound confident and appreciative when he said, “Thank you, sir.”

Demoric nodded. “So here is where we stand, Samson. You are strong and growing ever stronger at a rapid rate. I do not doubt the power you will one day wield. Along with that, you are intelligent, perceptive, and a quick thinker. You make the best out of everything around you, be them people or objects, a quality a leader must have. You proved this in both of your combat-sims.

“And I do not question your bravery. Yes, these were simulations. But there was barely a hint of hesitation in your actions, even when you clearly felt fear. Also, in real life, you stood up to the murderer of your friend both on Earth and in court. Those were courageous and honorable acts.”

Demoric paused, and Colton figured he was about to hear the flip side of all those great compliments the major had just given him.

“But I have yet to see how you will stand and act when you meet your match.”

Colton’s head shot back, dumbfounded by the remark. I’ve met my match a few times since leaving Earth.

“When the toughest decisions get thrown before you, as they will for The Son of the Prophets, how will you respond? Will you still stay poised? Will you still be courageous? What will lead you, your heart or your brain?”

Colton tried to keep his frustration out of his voice when he responded, “Both, sir.” He thought he had held his own pretty damn well up to that point.

Demoric shook his head. “I am not sure you understand, Recruit. I have met The Heart of the Flame. When I was younger, the Throne sent me to Oldir. The planet was independent at the time and marked throughout with problems. Bandits outlined the borders of major cities, and beyond them were beasts no one wanted to face. So as a sign of good faith, I was sent to the capital to offer assistance in removing the threats.

“Someone else beat me to it. Once there, I was never brought forth to the Oldirian Lord Supreme. I instead was accompanied to the young new leader of Quinnero, who arrived one day before me. As a known representative of the Throne and its army, I should have been shown respect. But he displayed only resentment and mockery towards me.

“I will never forget his words. In a belittling and calm tone, he told me, ‘I do not grow fat on a white throne. I, The Heart of the Flame, fight alongside my men to burn the maggots out of this universe. Your help is unneeded here, king-slave. Go home and tell your master that Quinnero is all Oldir needs to solve its problems.’

Demoric frowned down at his hands. “The worst part was I did nothing to acknowledge my indignant feeling. I was in awe of the man. The power radiating from him matched what I had always imagined the prophets being able to hold. And as if I was not ashamed enough, after the meeting, a representative of Oldir notified me that my help was unnecessary. When I returned to Vintara, the news that Quinnero and Oldir were allies had already preceded me.”

Demoric looked up with an intent expression and added, “Samson, I had never imagined seeing anyone as powerful as him in my entire life. Even worse, he is brilliant. On top of those two things, he is arrogant, evil, cold, and seeks all the power in the universe. He has no conscience and will do whatever he must to accomplish his goals. Combine all of this, and the result is he can work the mind, the heart, and the spirit. And he can do it to entire planets.

“So my worry is, what happens when this man’s full attention becomes focused on you? Do not mistake me. you have given me hope in a place I never sought or thought to find it. And again, you are still learning and growing. But what happens when The Heart plays his mind games on you? What happens when he takes all his power and focuses it solely against you?”

Colton mulled it over for a moment. He figured if that time ever came, his only hope would be to stay confident and optimistic. He responded with as much enthusiasm as he could. “I will do whatever it takes to protect innocents from a monster such as that, sir. I would die if it meant the protection of my loved ones.”

Demoric leaned forward in his chair. “I do not doubt it, Samson. But that is one of my exact worries. What if it is a friend or loved one he uses against you? Will you be easily provoked and play right into his game?

“Recruit, what if it is you or a thousand innocent lives? I believe you would choose the lives. But then again, what if you truly are The Son of the Prophets? We will need The Son to see this through to the end. He will be worth more than a thousand lives. If it is you, are you capable of making that decision?”

Colton froze in his seat. A thousand lives ended for my own?

“Or let us take a different approach, consider all options. What if The Heart sends his entire fleet of spacecraft to Earth, but he and his ground army arrive to invade Vintara? Where will you, our Son, be then? Will you rush to defend your home planet, or will you be who we need you to be, the man there to personally stand up to The Heart of the Flame?”

Colton frowned. There isn’t much I could do against crafts. I would fight where I was the most use. But would I really leave those back home to fend for themselves against a superior foe? He didn’t know the answer, and a gloomy and disturbing feeling fell over him.

Demoric shook his head. “That would be a tough decision on anyone. But it may be the type that The Son of the Prophets one day needs to make.”

He paused before putting a little sympathy in his voice. “I do not know you well, Samson. Most reports prior to your arrival questioned if you cared for more than just the safety of Earth. We, of course, have to worry whether you desire to defend the entire realm and universe as a whole.”

“But, you have started to show me a side of yourself contradicting those reports. I have noted your regard in uniting your kind with the rest of the recruits and vice versa. So it may have unjustly been doubt that I looked at you with before, but now it is more an uncertainty. When The Heart plays you from every angle, how will you respond?”

My family and friends, a thousand lives or mine?

Demoric waited for him.

Colton didn’t feign a reassuring response. “I don’t know. It’s a lot to take in.”

Demoric showed him some slack. “I understand, Recruit. It is tough and unfair. It is a predicament you will hopefully never have to face. And unfortunately, if you do, I doubt any of us will truly know the answer until it happens. So my advice is to ask yourself, are these situations you even want to chance dealing with?”

They were all horrible concepts. What if it was my family over thousands? It was too much to bear.

But he had his clearest thought since Demoric threw it all at him, like the calm after the storm, perhaps his clearest in months. “Sir, I don’t want to choose between any lives, let alone ones I know and love. But if I am The Son of the Prophets, I don’t have much choice. I’ll do whatever I can if I’m all this universe has.

“I’m not sure what decisions I’ll make in tough circumstances, but I’ll face them as they come. I’ll have to. Not doing so will only mean misery for everyone, including those I love. I can’t promise I’ll succeed or always make the right choice. But I promise to give it my all and do what I can to prevent that evil piece of shit from taking over.”

Demoric leaned back and smiled. “Recruit, that was the truest and most natural response you have given me since arriving at this camp. And it was what I needed to hear.”

Colton finally relaxed and let out a long breath, a sense of calm and relief settling over him. Not necessarily at Demoric’s newfound trust but at his own peace of mind. At first, he didn’t really believe he was The Son of the Prophets. He enlisted to do his part and, yes, on the offhand chance that Willick hadn’t been crazy. Then through the process, he almost forced himself to believe in order to give himself and others hope. But now it seemed simple as he understood so much more than he had when it all began.

He could now wield. He learned things quickly, and he was strong. Willick hadn’t been crazy after all. He honestly had the potential to be The Son of the Prophets. And for the first time, he was accepting and confident of not only that but also everything it meant. Earth, Vintara, the known universe, they needed The Son. He saw it more clearly than ever before. If he were called upon to be that person, he would do all in his power not to let them down.

51

“Yeah, it was the three of them: Kyla, Molly, and Emily.”

Colton’s heart skipped a beat as he stared at Tommy.

“So Emily found herself another guy,” Ace remarked. “You left that part out.”

Colton reflected on when he had told them about running into the group. “It slipped my mind. Why do you care, jealous?”

Ace frowned. “Grow up, Colton.”

Morris grunted in amusement.

“They came in and said hello,” Tommy continued, exposing his bulky dark-skinned chest as he changed shirts. “Hung out for a little while and caught up on how they were doing with wielding, fighting, whatnot.”

“You ask me,” Morris butted in, “Kyla seemed upset someone wasn’t here.”

“Yeah?”

The Old Man had been helping Colton practice new stances and techniques with his sword. And he had practiced different wieldings with Kulik as well. He had done a lot of both in the six weeks since the second combat-sim. On top of that, the recruits had begun learning to use Solara-enhancing weapons, certain vehicles, and simple mechanicals within spacecraft. Because of it all, he found himself without a moment of free time.

“They had a good combat-sim,” Tommy added. “They’re in H-Company. No one was high-ranking during it, but Kyla made a name for herself. Their simulation was different, taking place in a wet rainforest. Their platoon got overrun, and Kyla linked people together and started a mudslide. I forget the specifics, but it took out roughly forty krugals.”

Colton smiled. Glad our practice with links could help her. “Did she ask about me?”

Ace rolled his eyes before answering, “Just where you were. Why do you even care? You’ve got that other one constantly flaunting herself in front of you during weapons practice. Still don’t understand why you’re not all over that.”

Colton sighed. Violet.

Ace wasn’t kidding. She liked Colton. But he wasn’t sure of his feelings in return, and he knew that was the last type of situation he needed to be getting into again. Though she’s not making it easy.

“So, did you guys make plans to meet again?” he asked.

Ace threw his hands up in disbelief.

“Not really,” Morris answered. “All agreed we hope to see each other around. They’re in barrack eighty-two. Told us not to be strangers.”

Don’t want that, Colton thought.

“Do you have to look so sad?” Ace sounded uncomfortable. “And I hate to change this delightful subject on you, Colt, but have any of you guys been keeping up on the news in the Sister System?”

Colton hadn’t. There was a lounging hall for their limited downtime. In it were the televisions called scopes, which almost always displayed the news. But he felt any time watching was less spent training and practicing.

As for the affairs in the Sister System, there had been a lot of talk about it throughout the camp. However, he had heard little more than Darys Runebar was still there with a large force, acting as a Quinnero ambassador and meeting with the Bantellian and Lizellian leaders who respectfully hosted and treated him.

Ace explained, “One of the Lizellian officials let slip some of the talks. There were two things. First was the Quinneros’ response to us Earthlings wielding across the planets.”

Colton perked up.

Ace pulled out a tablet they received at the start of camp to help jot down notes. “I had to wield this one down. I quote, ‘The Forsaken are beneath us. They may be capable of wielding Solara, but clearly, the prophets did not desire them to. Another aberration the Throne is committing.’”

Colton and his fellow kind all narrowed their eyes.

Ace scowled. “The second bit was that The Heart is asking for all trade between the two sister planets and any Throne ones to cease, claiming the Throne is the oppressor of the Quinnero and Oldirian people.”

He looked down at his tablet and read, “‘We all know the prophecies. Therefore we should all acknowledge who The Heart of the Flame truly is. There can be no question that his, the Son of the Prophets’, course is just. This makes the Quinnero course just. And any acts in defiance against, are not only acts against Quinnero, but against the will of the prophets, and the future and safety of the universe.’”

An indignant and gloomy silence fell over the barrack when Ace finished. Everything about the official statement was ominous news.

Colton put himself in the rest of the universe’s shoes. He understood even if they didn’t want to trust The Heart, even if they all didn’t hold the hatred towards Earth that The Heart did, they have always believed in a prophecy that seemingly all but says the man will be their savior. To them, the news of someone else, an Earthling, wielding on Earth must look like a desperate hope. The Heart was playing the best card he could, and Colton was terrified that it would win him over the two planets in the Sister System.

Later that day, as the four of them made their way to a lesson, it became apparent that the news was the talk of the entire camp. People huddled and conversed, taking all different stances and sides on the issue. Like when the news of him had broken at Dulver, all the talk made Colton suffer countless sideways glances and open stares. Two people came up to him, demanding to know the truth of if he wielded on Earth. He told them what he felt he had to. “Yes.”

He didn’t like putting pressure on himself, but at that point, it was time for some reassurance and hope for the people in the realm. There was way too much doubt and discontent. They needed to erase it before the war started.

They walked into their lesson, a smaller one taught by the grizzled Lieutenant Ashan. Upon their entry, the lieutenant glanced up and frowned at Colton, who wondered if the look was in response to the mood set by the news.

Once everyone was in and seated, Ashan motioned to begin.

He didn’t get a single word out before someone cut him off with, “Sir?” and threw their hand up.

Ashan scowled and responded, “I do not believe I asked for questions. Did I, Recruit?”

The Spaceling who had interrupted blushed and dropped his arm.

Ashan turned to address the class, paused, and heaved a heavy sigh. He took a deep breath before saying, “It will only hinder the lesson if I wait. I know nothing more than the rest of you about the recent updates coming out of the Sister System.”

The response was multiple voices shouting at once.

“What are the king and high-seats thinking?”

“The sister planets have never been hostile with us, but they have never been overly friendly either.”

“They are calling for an embargo against us. Is that itself not an act of war?”

And a guy named Malook said, “Sir, do they not realize if the sister planets align with The Heart, that is four on four? They will have matched our planets and strength in numbers.”

That caused Morris to jump up and roar, “Five against four, you idiot. Earth is in this too.”

Malook glanced away from Morris’ glower and shrunk back in his seat.

Ashan motioned Morris to sit down before he responded, “Anyone not from the Quinnero System will be reluctant to join forces with The Heart of the Flame. Of course it is discouraging that he wielded on Earth, but everyone knows he will not share power. I am unwilling to believe the women that rule the sister planets will so easily hand them, and the people on them, into what they know to be evil’s hands. We have a soldier of our own that wielded on Earth. That will not be blindly overlooked by this universe.”

Heads shifted towards Colton, but he stayed focused on Ashan. When the lieutenant looked his way, he nodded.

Ashan turned his wrinkled face back to the class and scowled. “Nor is the king one to idly sit by and watch his people suffer. The plan has always been to train you all as fast as possible so that we are ready when the first blow is struck. And we are nearly there. But only if we continue our lessons. So I will talk about this no more. Anyone else who strays shall be running the Trek instead of sleeping tonight.”

52

A couple of hours later, Colton and company walked back into their barrack and were surprised to find an anxious-looking Spaceling waiting.

“Prophets, there you guys are. I have been ordered to tell you to report immediately to Major Demoric’s office. No delay.” He bolted from the barrack.

“What the hell?” Ace asked.

“Wonder what this is about?” Tommy added.

“No idea,” Colton responded.

On the walk there, he wondered why Demoric wanted to meet all four of them together. But the questions fled his mind when he walked into the office, and instead of Demoric: Willick, Roan, and Tal waited for them. He felt delighted at their presence, and everyone mirrored it. Within moments they were all laughing and smiling, greeting one another and shaking hands.

Willick and his men sat around a circular table, and as Colton moved to do the same, Roan kicked the chair out for him and proclaimed, “For you, my Earthling lord.”

Colton frowned and took the seat. Everyone else smiled.

He looked at the famous and influential Spacelings sitting before him, all in green and gray Runebar colors. Roan, with a grin, twirled the bladed boomerang of his around in circles on the table. His trimmed head lacked a figure shaved into it, but he had the addition of a short beard covering his face. Tal’s long blond hair hung loosely down to his shoulder blades.

Willick focused his brown eyes on Colton and said, “I am sure you have been wondering about your family.”

Colton perked up. He had been worrying more than wondering, a great deal of worrying.

“They are fine,” Willick assured. “The Earthlings have better assimilated with the public on Goria, allowing your family more comfort and independence there.”

“When can I see them?” Colton asked.

He had sent a video message to them and gotten one in return. His was vague, asking them to trust him that leaving Earth was for their protection. He didn’t picture how he could make them truly understand the scope of it all without it being in person. Theirs was more to the point. Seeing his face all over the media, his family had a thousand questions to ask. It pained him, but he couldn’t answer it all in a message and decided to hold off until he did it in person.

“Unfortunately, you must wait a little longer,” Willick answered. “The current moment is even less safe for space travel than it was after the trial. And we are trying to keep their location a mystery to all but those overseeing their protection. Any movement could risk harming that safety net. But I assure you that your parents, brother, and sister-in-law are safe and content. After your graduation, we will find time for you to see them.”

Colton shook his head. “They must hate it. Being treated like hostages for something they have no control over. My brother is probably ready to kill someone. I need to see them soon.”

Willick nodded. “Once you finish your training, you have my word.”

Colton breathed a heavy sigh. When the time came, he’d make them understand.

Willick turned to the rest of Colton’s friends. “Now, how has life been faring for you all here?”

Talk of his own family made Colton remember the story of Willick’s. The man in the story in no way matched the calm and collected one sitting across from him. It left him baffled.

Tommy answered, “As well as could be expected. Tired, confused, but growing stronger and smarter.”

Willick smiled. “Good.”

“We heard you gentlemen grabbed everyone’s attention in your last combat-sim,” Roan noted in a pleased tone.

Colton shrugged. “We did the best we could in a tough situation.”

Tal chuckled before responding, “Yes, we heard the best you could was quite extraordinary.”

Colton had reason to feel a lot of pride as of late. And though he didn’t want it to get to his head and become conceited, he still felt great satisfaction in impressing Willick and his men.

“You all seem to be learning well,” Willick continued. “It is important you take everything you can out of your studies because the practice will end here.”

Ace grinned and pulled both short swords from his sides, which emitted a hazel glow. “Oh, we’re learning. I won’t be surprised if you try to enlist us into your squad soon.”

That made the Spacelings laugh in good fun.

“We shall see,” Willick said with a chuckle.

He let the group enjoy the moment but then got on with things. “I am sure you have learned of the Quinnero presence overtaking the Sister planets. And if so, you also heard there is little news coming out of there. That is not just regarding the media. The Throne has also received limited information.

“It is not good. Our people are on both Bantel and Lizel but are all unreachable. And we tried sending more in to gain knowledge, but we have yet to receive anything. There have been no reports of downed or hijacked ships, so the only explanation is that the Sister Supremes have called for an immediate hold on departures from the planet. That means all ports are shut down, and the airspace within and around the worlds are being watched and guarded.

“The king is worried. To him, it can mean only one thing: that the Sisters are considering siding with The Heart of the Flame. Only they could command and enforce such an act on their planet and keep such a tight grip on the information that comes out. They must be holding under guard anyone we sent and confiscating any equipment they brought with them.”

“Would they do that?” Colton asked. “Knowing who The Heart is, what he’s done, what he will do. Could they live with themselves and side with him?”

“The current Sister Supremes have always been prudent in their decisions and judgments made in the past,” Willick answered. “They have run peaceful, respectable societies. But you must understand that outside of Earth, the prophecy is everything. We have always assumed that when someone wielded on Earth, there would be no question about the next move.

“That changed when The Heart of the Flame was the one to do it. I am sure they regard him the same as we do and do not want to trust him. But the prophecy is clear: someone who wields on Earth will be the universe’s only hope. They have seen the footage from your planet. They won’t so easily dismiss everything they have always believed.”

Willick shifted in his seat. “The only delay in holding them back must be the Throne’s word. A Throne they are not even a part of. And that word is to maintain faith in an Earthling, a man from the planet I am sure they are questionable of as it is. Through all that, anyone can understand how they could decide to consider The Heart’s terms.

“It is of the utmost importance that the Throne gets people onto Bantel and Lizel to find out what is happening there and then can get the information back out. That is why at this moment, I believe the only men to accomplish this mission would be my crew.”

“Correct,” Roan blurted out, slapping a hand on the table.

“Getting in unnoticed should not be a problem with Magil piloting,” Willick continued. “The tough part will be retrieving information from within their palace.”

“Dom will get it done, sir,” Tal assured.

“Oh, I lack no confidence in Dom’s abilities, Tal. And I also have faith that Magil can get us off the damn jungle or ocean planet, whichever we end up on. But it will not be easy, and we should accept that.”

“So you won’t be going as Throne ambassadors?” Colton asked. “Shouldn’t someone on our side meet with them to throw a little encouragement our way?”

Willick shook his head. “Ambassadors were there, but we do not know what happened to them. And besides, most will not meet with me as an ambassador to the Universal Throne. They understand sometimes my actions take me away from the orders of the Throne itself. But even if they would, there is the possibility they have sided with the Quinneros. If that has happened, to walk in there openly would be to walk into a death trap. I will not risk that.”

There was a moment of thoughtful silence, and Tommy asked, “Willick, I appreciate you sharing this. But what does a secret mission have to do with us?”

Willick looked at Tommy and smiled in amusement. “Nothing, really. You have proved trustworthy so far in your time on Vintara, and for whatever reason, the men feel a brotherly connection to you all. So we wanted to tell you of our mission, in confidence.”

Colton and his friends nodded in appreciation.

“And inform you that is why we will not be back in time to escort you to Tarend Gull’s execution in a few weeks.”

Colton froze.

The execution.

He hadn’t realized how close it was. With two extra hours a day and an extra month in a year, and their daily camp grinds added to the fold, he found time tough to keep track of on Vintara.

Willick held up a reassuring hand. “If this worries you, do not let it. Tal will not be accompanying us. He is staying here and will gladly escort you to it.”

“Yeah, who better to keep you safe than our expert healer,” Roan joked.

Willick waved Roan off. “It has nothing to do with protection. You are as safe as you can be on Vintara, especially in an official Throne building. Tal’s main reason for staying behind is to spend time with his family.”

“All that has been happening in the Sister System implies that the war nears,” Tal added. “I am the only one on our team with a spouse and children. Willick is allowing me to spend quality time with them before we set off on what will surely be extensive and lengthy missions during the war itself.”

“Of course,” Willick acknowledged in a weary tone.

Colton observed his expression. Is he thinking about the family he could have had?

Tal continued, “While I am here, we imagined you would prefer someone you know to escort you.”

“Friendly face always helps,” Colton confirmed.

“Good, then it is settled.” Willick’s tone was back to normal. “Now, my friends, I want you to keep learning as much as you can these last few weeks, but more importantly, try to enjoy them. It is not a coincidence that The Heart’s forces stir this close to the execution of one of his men.

“He did not take kindly to the Throne passing the death sentence onto a soldier of his. He will want blood for blood. The war is coming, friends. Be as ready for it as you can. When it does: love, laughter, joy, those will all be hard to find.”

A chill ran through Colton.

Willick rose, signaling the end of the meeting, but Colton cut him off. “Willick, I’m not sure if you’d rather do it alone, but I was hoping to ask you about your brother?”

He paused and stared at Colton with an emotionless gaze.

The stare made Colton realize how blunt and inappropriate a question it was, especially with the others around. He panicked. “I’m sorry, that’s none of my business. I should never—”

Willick cut him off with a raised hand. His voice was low when he replied, “I should have realized that with the latest reports, you would have heard some version of his story.”

“We heard all of it,” Ace piped up, hinting at Willick’s wife.

Colton could have slapped him. He wanted to slap himself. I had no right to ask about this. What was I thinking?

Willick sat back down. “Raelin too. They usually are grouped together.”

Colton cringed, sensing the sadness in Willick’s voice.

But his following words took some of the pressure off. “It is fine. I leave nothing from my men, so Tal and Roan know all about it. As for the four of you, again, you all feel a part of our brotherhood. I would rather not keep secrets between us. I would have told you sooner, but it is not something I wish to be judged by at the start of a friendship. It is a delicate topic.”

Colton nodded in understanding. “Of course, it’s not the typical conversation starter.”

Willick was calm but again sounded tired when he explained, “I do not know what you gentlemen have heard, but I will try to give you the shortened version. At the time, I was older than the four of you are now, but by our lifespans, I was roughly the same age maturity-wise. It was a relatively young age to be married. But even then, once I met Raelin, I did not complain. She was beautiful, intelligent, and dedicated to the Throne. I came to love my wife very much. And she loved me in return. When we first traveled and partook in missions together, those were the happiest and best moments of my life.

“But then I let honor and duty get in my way. When The Heart of the Flame came to power, I foresaw what he meant to this universe and became infatuated with him, even before the king or high-seats saw him as a threat. Raelin understood my feelings, but she was not one to rebel or deviate from the course the Throne wished to set. And with her desire to start a family and unite our two into a single, more powerful one, a family that could hold significant influence in defending the Throne, I distanced myself from her.

“I did not yet want to bring a child into this universe. I understood enough to see that a war was taking shape in the darkness. And I was young, with still much to prove.” He looked away from the four. “If given the choice to go back to that day and start that family, I would.”

Turning back, his brows were furrowed in a frown. “I was close to my brother. We grew up with different mindsets and opposite outlooks on the universe. But we were brothers; we were blood and loved one another. I cannot tell you how he came to love my wife. But, while he became her confidant, she did not love him back in that manner. And that is where his resentment of me built from.

“When I learned of her death, I lost it. Let the prophets take me now; there is nothing I would not do to go back and have one last conversation with her, not feel on such distant terms at the end. I killed all the pirates I found. And when my brother arrived and joined, it was a slaughter. Throughout it all, only aboard the captain’s ship, with the man being the last to die in his cabin, only then did Darys and I speak for the first time.

“He confessed his love for Raelin and pure hatred for the Throne. He blamed the Throne for oppressing people and planets, for letting the universe crumble back down into the state it was before the Prophet’s War. And most of all, he blamed it for using Raelin.”

Willick closed his eyes. “He blamed me for not being there to protect her, for being the man she loved and letting her die. Filled with rage, I lost control and attacked him. I meant no actual harm, perhaps only a good bruise, maybe a tiny scar for speaking such horrors after the death of my wife. And he understood that. But it became quickly evident he was not looking to bruise back. I could see in his eyes that he aimed to kill.

“The realization only made me angrier, and that was when I slashed open his face, giving him the scar that marks him today. And as he reeled on the ground, crying out in pain, I screamed at him what a dishonor he was, what a pure waste of Runebar blood he was. Watching him gasp in pain, scream that he would bring the Throne and me down, my final words to him, the last I have spoken to this day, were that he was a disgrace and Raelin would never have loved him. After that, I turned and left him there, my flesh and blood, bleeding all over the floor from a wound I had dealt.”

Willick opened his eyes and looked up into their faces again. “When the news of my parents’ murders reached me, it was the same rage all over again. But this time, there was no one to release it on. And when reports came in that my brother was involved, I almost released it on the people divulging the information. But the king had me brought to the palace before I did anything I would regret. I was the last Runebar. My family was too important for the Throne to lose.

“It took me a long time to get over that part of my life. I stayed with the king and queen through the whole process of mental healing. And while I may never fully be rid of that pain, they gave me the best chance to recover. I am who I am today because of them.”

Willick seemed to lose his train of thought for a moment. He stared at the table briefly before continuing, “Darys’ part in the attack has never been confirmed to the public. So I tell you this in complete confidence: my brother did lead the soldiers that murdered my parents. The king showed me footage that proved it without a doubt. That was the first day I regretted not killing him. It would not be the last.”

Colton was shocked by the words. “Willick, he’s your brother. No one can blame you. You couldn’t know what he would do.”

Willick shook his head. “Even before Raelin’s death, he had made comments. He had done things that should have better warned me. Trying to kill me on the pirate spacecraft should have been the clearest sign. He was always criticizing and scornful of the Throne. I believe he approached The Heart even before establishing his relationship with Raelin. I think The Heart told him he had to prove himself. And when Raelin died, Darys decided how he would earn that trust.

“He and my parents were never on good terms. They were disgusted with his words and actions against the Throne, and he was in constant hatred of their love for it. I should have known what he would do, Colton. If I were the man I am today, I would have foreseen the monster my brother was becoming.”

When Willick stopped, the room was utter silence.

Colton tried putting himself in Willick’s shoes, and when he did, a question plagued him. It was awful, but he had to ask it. “Even if you did see, could you really have killed him?”

Colton felt chills when a tear came to Willick’s eye. He answered, “No. I would have wanted to believe my judgment was wrong or that he could change before it went too far. But now horrible atrocities have been committed by his hands. He has slain and ended the life of good men and women. None of it would have happened if I had killed him that day. And so, if I ever see him again, I will not make the same mistake. If ever I face him, I think even he knows that one of us will die.”

Willick held a dark glare on his face. The room remained quiet.

The story was horrible, but Colton was glad they had discussed it. Hearing it firsthand only made his impression of Willick stronger. “I’m so sorry about it all,” he replied. “Thank you for sharing this with us. The fact that you grew into the man you are after experiencing that makes me proud to know you, let alone fight this coming battle beside you.”

The other three echoed Colton’s sentiment.

The anger left Willick’s face. He responded, “Do not be sorry, my friends. I wish it never did, but perhaps it had to happen to lead me to you four. Your situation is not all that different. The four of you lost a friend, and when the moment arose, you acted no differently than I had with Raelin’s murderers. When you held the axe that night, Colton, I saw a lot of myself in you.”

He gestured to Roan and Tal. “And by becoming better acquainted with you all, I see parts of us in each of you. Perhaps that is another reason we feel you gentlemen are a part of our brotherhood.”

He turned solely on Colton. “You are The Son of the Prophets. From what I have seen, how you have acted, and everything I have heard: I know this to be true. You give me hope that I have not felt in some time. I want to thank you for it.”

Colton was taken aback. “I don’t know what to say.”

Roan stood up and slapped the table. “Say nothing. Instead, you can help us spear that red bastard through his black heart.”

For the first time since the story began, smiles broke across the room. Colton’s grin was perhaps the largest. “That I hope to do.”

After the meeting, while walking back to the barrack, between hearing of the girls’ visit, the news from the Sister System, and the conversation with Willick, Colton had a lot on his mind. But it all flew right out of his head when Demoric made an announcement that reverberated throughout the camp.

“Recruits, this is to inform you of your third and final combat-sim here at Camp Penski. It will be in three days. The details are simple. There will be two sides, and the victor will be the first to defeat or make the other surrender. As for those sides, to put it in Earthling words: they are Spacelings versus Earthlings. Good luck.”

53

“Colton, it should be you. The Throne has put pretty much all of its stock in you. There’s no better way to prove to the Spacelings why.” David was adamant in thinking Colton should lead their people in the final combat-sim.

The major and other camp officials had selected thirty Earthlings, which they deemed top of the class. Of them, those Colton would consider close friends were Tommy, David, Debbie, and to Colton’s joy, Kyla.

They were meeting to choose the commanding officers for their battalion in the coming simulation. Starting with the highest command, the Colonel, they spent fifteen minutes and had yet to get anywhere.

“I don’t see why you wouldn’t, Colton,” Debbie agreed. “Not only is David’s point true, but you did a great job leading in the second combat-sim. And the Spacelings think likewise. Violet will not stop talking about how wonderful you were. They might actually fear us with you as our Colonel.”

At the mention of Violet’s name, Colton took satisfaction in the slight frown Kyla directed Debbie’s way.

But he shook his head at the comment. “I don’t consider losing half of my men doing well at all. I was out of my element until we were whittled down to less than ten. I’m more efficient and work better myself in a smaller group.” He paused before adding, “Besides, I wouldn’t know where to begin at leading thousands of us. David’s the man for that job.”

David didn’t look relieved or convinced. Colton knew it wasn’t failure he worried about. David understood deep down he was the best choice. But Colton could tell most of the others in the room saw the simulation as the prime opportunity to prove their worth. And what better way to do it than by following the icon the Spacelings considered the face of Earth?

But that wasn’t how Colton viewed it. He figured winning would be all they needed to gain the respect they sought. And he truly believed they could win. But it would only happen if the right people received the jobs best suited for them.

Kyla was on the same page as everyone else. “Let’s say we hand command over to David. Then what do you do, Colton? Whatever any of us think about it, you represent all of us Earthlings now. You proved yourself as an officer in the last combat-sim. They will expect more from you this time around.”

Colton smirked. He knew what they would all want and planned accordingly. Reflecting on his meeting with Willick, how the man labeled Colton and the others into his brotherhood, that is what had given him the idea. “As I began to say before, I work best in a small group, one with a straightforward and direct mission—no matter how difficult.”

He looked at Tommy and got a smile in response. His friend knew the plan, and though he viewed it as overly bold, he liked it.

Colton added, “I’m hoping to build a knack for doing the impossible. Prophets know if I’m going to save you all, I’ll have to pull things out of my ass a few times.”

Everyone in the room gave him sideways looks, and it took him a second to realize he had referenced the prophets in his previous sentence.

Man, this place is getting to me.

“Anyway,” he continued, “all I ask is that you let me handpick a group of my own. I’m looking for nine others to help strike a critical blow to the Spacelings.”

David’s eyebrows arched in thought. “And what is that?”

Colton grinned, excitement coursing through him. “They’ll help me knock out the enemy leader right from the start. Whoever comes with me will help eliminate Canter Brax.”

They all stared at him with disbelieving looks.

“It’s certainly bold,” David noted.

Colton leaned forward. “You know it will be a critical hit to their ranks.”

“It will,” Kyla chimed in. “But it also sounds like a suicide mission. They’re sending people home again after this sim. It would be a large risk for anyone who joins you.”

Colton shook his head. He wished she had more faith in him, but he’d just have to prove it. “It won’t be a suicide mission. We can make this work. I have some ideas.”

David glanced around at the others in the room. After some thought, most nodded, including Tommy and Debbie. Kyla’s face remained impassive.

David sighed before looking back at Colton and replying, “Let’s hear them.”

Colton smiled.

54

Colton found himself in an encampment filled with tents, on the edge of snow-covered woods. Behind the camp, a cliff edge dropped hundreds of feet. The sky was a crisp blue, and he judged the temperature to be a few degrees below freezing. If he didn’t know any better, the final simulation placed them somewhere on Earth.

“Start wielding trees down,” David ordered. “Open up space around the camp.”

As the rest of the battalion prepared for defense, Colton headed to the armory and pocketed a specific accessory he had plans for. When he walked out, David was there to meet him.

“I was never given details about the landscape. So what you see is what you know. You’ll just have to wing it.”

“That’s fine,” Colton responded. “And I won’t risk communication. I know both battalions were given scanners to intercept messages.”

David nodded. “You move forward with your goal. I’m going to proceed as if it has already failed.”

“Sounds good,” Colton agreed. “I’m going to gather my team and head out.”

“Good luck.”

Colton soon found himself trekking through the snow-covered woods, surrounded by pine trees, with almost all of his closest friends from the Dulver Facility beside him. As they went, those in the front wielded to melt the six-inch-high snow across their path.

Tommy, Ace, Morris, and Eric had agreed to be part of the mission immediately. Being a veteran soldier, Demarcus didn’t like deviating from the ranks. But Colton got him to come around. As for Kyla, Molly, and Emily, they only agreed to be part of it on one condition. Kevin was gone, and David was Colonel of the Earthling battalion, leaving one open spot. The women required that their other friend, Colton’s favorite human being in the whole universe—Becky, fill the tenth spot.

He decided it was worth it. The final combat-sim marked the end of their training, and he didn’t know what would be in store after that. He wanted at least one chance to see what all of his close friends were made of in actual combat. And it didn’t hurt that he’d also get some bonding time with them before the war. So if that meant a little misery from Becky, he’d have to deal with it.

His group swapped in and out, melting the snow, trying to preserve energy. When he took to the forefront, Kyla joined in next to him. At first, they kept sneaking glances at one another, saying nothing. He didn’t mind, simply glad to feel her presence.

Her gray and white camouflage cloak was pulled tight around her off-white uniform, covering most of the skinny sword strapped across her back. She also wore a white mask that hid all but her eyes and a couple clumps of blond hair poking out from underneath. In all the white, her eyes shined brilliantly, blue when they gazed at the sky, green as they directed towards the trees.

He broke the silence. “Glad you joined the mission, Kyla.”

She shrugged. “From what I hear about this Brax character, just as smart as he is in command, he’s also a complete prick. That’s two reasons I’m happy to take him down.”

Colton smiled. “Sounds about right.”

She frowned at him and asked, “Why did you want us, the other women and I?”

His face mask pulled under his chin, he responded with a sly grin. “What? I can’t miss old friends?”

She wasn’t amused. “You should take this more seriously, Colton. People are looking to you for leadership and hope. That is nothing to take lightly or joke around with.”

He let the indignant feeling those words aroused show on his face. “I do nothing but take it all seriously. The fact that everyone is looking to me for hope, that’s why I didn’t pick any of them for this. Some of the others from our planet, when they’re around me, they’re the ones who won’t take it as seriously. They become too infatuated with either wanting to impress me or seeing if I will impress them.”

He stared at the ground a moment and continued, “In the last simulation, I was fretful when I had a whole platoon to lead. I walked them straight into the trap set for us. But I thrived when there were only a few to look after, and it was clear what we had to do. And while I did, it felt right.

“I know Brax, everyone on their side knows he’s the best, and they will be reliant on him. Take him out, their morale falters, and their command will stumble, giving David a chance to break them as they try to regain their composure.” He turned to make eye contact with her. “And my best chance at taking Brax out is with a small group. One filled with people I can trust who aren’t fighting beside me only to judge what I’m all about.

“So why did I have you along, Kyla? I did it because I trust you, I miss you, I want to see what you’re capable of, and most importantly, because Canter Brax won’t recognize your faces. Every guy in this squad shares a barrack with him. I don’t think he’ll see this coming, but he’ll still be aware of his surroundings and cautious. When we get close enough, I will need it to be one of you fine ladies to strike the blow.”

When he stopped talking, he noticed the sheepish expression on her face.

She broke eye contact before saying, “I’m sorry, that wasn’t fair. I haven’t seen you in a while now. I had no right to judge.”

He waved her off. “It’s okay. I’m getting used to being judged without knowledge. It’s pretty much what comes with this whole Son of the Prophets deal.”

She finally smiled and replied, “Feeling sorry for yourself doesn’t suit you, Colton.”

He grunted in amusement. “Okay, maybe I’ll have to take this a little less seriously then.”

That caused a throaty laugh to escape her lips, and it was his turn to grin, glad to have another moment of comfort with her. They hadn’t in months.

The two of them continued on for minutes, keeping a cautious watch but finally talking easily and catching up on their times at the camp. The conversation only ended when Colton decided for the group’s safety, they’d have to move forward in silence.

There was no sign of enemy movement, but Colton still called a halt to the melting of the snow, fearing it would draw attention from a distance. They wore boots filled with a comfortable padded material to keep their feet warm, so they instead trudged through it and switched to two people trying to obscure the tracks behind them. A small wielding of air did the trick.

From that point on, everyone stayed quiet and observant. The woods seemed never-ending. They weren’t overly thick in growth, but the trees were constant throughout and never thinned. Add that they were pines and still had needles; their vision ahead was anything but clear. The squad could walk right out into the enemy camp at any moment.

It wasn’t until Tommy held his hand up, signaling a halt, and pointing to their left, that everyone stopped and dropped to a crouch.

Colton looked where Tommy pointed and counted five soldiers walking amongst the trees. Their uniforms were similar except for the dark-blue and white colors. And where the Earthlings had insignias of a half-green/half-blue planet—Earth—on the back of their cloaks and uniforms, the five strolling to the squad’s left: two had purple, two had pink, and one had a brown planet on theirs. It meant two were from Vintara, two from Goria, and one from Huran.

The Spacelings didn’t appear especially on guard. They slowly walked in a direction that would run them straight into the squad, talking casually amongst one another. But they glanced around and kept hands on weapon hilts, scoping for anything unordinary.

Colton kept his eyes on the enemy soldiers as the squad huddled around. “I’m thinking a patrol,” he said. “If that’s the case, we’re near the enemy camp.”

“Do we let them just slip by?” Kyla asked.

A patrol was more than he had hoped for. “We can use their uniforms to get into the camp.”

“To do it without capturing attention, it’d have to be quick and quiet,” Demarcus noted.

Colton nodded. “Brax won’t have ordered these guys to fight numbers greater than themselves. The second we’re spotted, they’ll be running for the camp. That can’t happen. The base goes on alert, and we’ll have no chance of our mission succeeding.”

“How do you want to do it then?” Morris asked.

“What about what Violet did in the last one?” Ace added.

Colton shook his head. “That only worked in those confined tunnels. It’s too open out here. I think our best bet is to do this with straight stealth. Let’s not take the chance of alarming them with any Solara. I want our quickest and quietest to sneak up behind and run them through.”

Becky, of course frowning, asked, “And what about the other five? What will they be doing?”

“In case something goes wrong, I want the others in position ahead to take down anyone who flees before they can make any racket. Now if we’re as close as I think we might be to the camp, then any wielding may be detected. So no Solara unless completely necessary, got it?”

They all nodded.

Colton picked out those he wanted. “Ace, Tommy, and Demarcus.” Ace was the quickest amongst them. Tommy was light on his feet. And Demarcus had the most training of any of them.

All three accepted the task.

Now for the last two?

He surprised himself with his next choice. “Becky.” The training at Camp Penski had slimmed her down, making her the smallest target to spot.

She didn’t smile, she never smiled, but she agreed to it.

That left one more.

Colton smirked. “And lastly, Kyla, you’re just plain sneaky. I trust you with this.”

She responded with a wolfish grin.

He pulled his mask up. From there, they kept low and out of sight, moving into positions. He, Morris, Eric, Molly, and Emily moved on ahead of the patrol while the other five waited for it to pass before creeping up from behind.

Colton lay in the snow on his stomach and watched as the patrol trudged closer. The other five understood that they had to take the enemy out before they walked right on top of him and the others. But he still started to worry when the patrol was only about thirty feet away. He was hidden well in snow and brush, but they’d step right on him.

His doubts ceased when his five men and women appeared at the rear. But as they sprung, he cursed.

Ace’s foot got caught on a root, and the soldier he was supposed to take down sensed what was happening and sprinted. Thankfully Morris was close by because when the Spaceling flung his hand in the air, Colton figured he was about to shoot a warning signal to his camp. But he should have worried about putting up a shield because Morris’s mace took him in the stomach before he had the chance.

And just as Demarcus was about to grab another guard’s mouth, a shield sprang up around the man, throwing the marine back. Colton was up and there in a heartbeat, swinging his sword with all his might, a large force of Solara wielded into it. It broke through and took out the guy, quieting the scene.

Colton spent a moment dazed over the fact that his sword had just pierced another human’s flesh for the first time, be it a simulation or not. But he snapped himself out of it and glanced around. The other three guards were all eliminated upon the initial onslaught. They were in the clear.

He ordered the group to wait a few minutes to ensure the attack hadn’t been detected or set off an alarm within the enemy camp. As they did, Colton noted the bodies didn’t transition to stone like in the second combat-sim; they instead formed into ice, lying exactly where the person had died. And luckily, their clothes didn’t turn with them.

The uniforms appeared on top of the bodies. After removing them, he closely observed one of the ice forms and found it creepy. It looked like a sculpture that was so real he even made out the pained expression on the face. He stared at it, feeling bad for the woman it had been until he realized that it caused the problem of another patrol running into the bodies.

They tried breaking them with weapons, but the statues would barely chip. And he didn’t want to wield. So that only left moving them off to the side and manually throwing as much snow over them as possible.

When all seemed clear, a plan forming in his mind, Colton and the four women donned the closest fitting enemy uniform and cloak. He checked and pocketed the one accessory he had taken from the Earthling camp, and based on the path the patrol had followed, the squad moved in the direction they guessed the camp to be. He could only hope they would accomplish their mission before someone tripped over and found those ice bodies.

Within minutes it was clear they were heading the right way. Ahead of them, the light was brighter, and the trees were sparser. They continued until an edge to the tree line came into sight and the same type of camp they had left appeared in the distance. Colton halted everyone and had them crouch around him.

Brax would be held up in a command tent somewhere, so the question was: what gave the greatest chance of reaching him, defeating him, and getting out alive? Colton tried looking at every angle to find the best approach. When he finally decided, he shrugged to himself. It seems so easy but so difficult at the same time.

He turned to his squad and explained, “All right, soldiers, this is what we’re going to do...”

As they emerged at the clearing of the trees, a light snow fell, and a chill wind picked up. Colton was thankful for it. It offered more reason to keep on the full-headed face mask and pull the hoods of their cloaks tight around them. One of his largest worries was that an enemy Spaceling would recognize someone from their squad.

Colton was in the Spaceling uniform with Kyla, Molly, Emily, and Becky walking alongside him. Morris led the way, in all appearances, by sword-point. He was weaponless and seemingly blocked from his Solara by Becky.

Tommy, Ace, Demarcus, and Eric remained far behind them, waiting in the woods. Their job would be to supply support he was sure the six would need when they fled the camp. And he imagined they wouldn’t be making the same trip out, so when things got rolling, he required those four to guide them in the right direction.

Becky pushed and prodded Morris forward, making him appear as a captured prisoner. Getting closer, more details from the camp came into view. And knowing Demoric would start both sides equally, Brax must have moved his base deeper into the woods before chopping trees down. Colton figured it because there was no cliff edge behind the camp like his battalion had.

It was a good idea. The likelihood of a capable force sneaking behind the patrols was tiny, if not impossible. The way Brax had it set up, he would have a possible retreat to give his people cover. The way the Earthlings had it, a retreat for them would send them falling to their deaths.

I hope David realized this.

Brax had the camp well-defended as well. Like in the second combat-sim, he had trenches built and occupied. But he also used the cut-down trees for palisade barriers and built small walls in different spots around the perimeter.

As they approached, the focus became drawn to them, specifically Morris in his Earthling uniform. A group of soldiers came out to meet them.

A large-built guy with two axes hanging over his back asked, “What is this?”

Colton had never made out definitive accents in the speech of most Spacelings. They all just sounded very proper to him. But others said they were there between the differing planets. Therefore they had agreed that Kyla, who could tell the difference between the apparent universal accents, would do the talking.

Her voice, more throaty and deeper than usual, was muffled by her mask as she answered, “Earthling scout. We spotted him on his belly trying to slip past us.”

The Spaceling frowned before asking, “Why did you not report back to your patrol zone? The next team is probably waiting on you.”

Colton’s heart skipped a beat before quickening its pace. He cast a glance about, trying to keep his nerves at bay, but Kyla quickly responded, “With him being the first enemy captured, we thought it better to come straight to the camp.”

The Spaceling’s expression didn’t change. “Your orders were to bring anyone captured to your zone officer. Let them decide if they are worth burdening the Colonel. What zone number are you?”

Kyla wasn’t as quick again.

There was a tense moment’s pause where Colton gripped the hilt of his sword under his cloak.

But Morris thought on his feet. He burst to the side, shouldering one of the Spacelings and making a dash for the woods.

Becky, controlling his and her power, slammed him to the ground with it.

Colton cringed. She had done it with enough force to break a rib.

Morris rolled onto his back and gasped at the air, thankfully seeming to have nothing but the wind knocked out of him.

The huge Spaceling walked over and kicked him. Morris grunted, and the Spaceling laughed. “Dumb Earthling does not understand the full power of Solara.” He turned back to Kyla. “Okay, we will escort you to your zone officer.”

She wasn’t thrown off again, speaking with her head held high and nose in the air. “Why? So you can get credit for the find. We do not need an escort. And we are not taking him to our officer. We are bringing him straight to the command tent. I will show my find to Canter myself.”

The Spaceling grinned at the mention of Brax’s first name. “Ah, have a little attraction, do you? Well, I do not want to spoil some of Brax’s fun. Go ahead. Just make sure you keep control of this one.” He gave Morris another kick for good measure.

Colton relaxed but didn’t let go of his sword. They moved into the camp and heard the big Spaceling notify on his com that a prisoner was on the way to command.

Further in, they received more looks than Colton was comfortable with. They headed into the center of the camp, past rows of trenches. Within were soldiers, fires to heat and help feed them, and many had turrets. They weren’t Dusters, but he knew they had close to the same destructive effect.

Past the trenches were the tents. Some trees were still up around them, and Spacelings weaved in all directions. He looked for the most prominent one but couldn’t spot it. All he saw was a bulky column of trees ahead of them, poking out above the smaller, standard tents. When he reached those trees, that’s when he located it. The command tent and a few other large ones were on the opposite side, ringed by a circle of high pines.

Colton and his soldiers kept receiving looks, but almost all were directed towards Morris, seemingly the first prisoner of the combat-sim.

When they arrived at the perimeter of dense trees, another Spaceling greeted them. She was a tall woman with long dark hair and bushy eyebrows. Her voice had a gruffness similar to Kyla’s fake one as she said, “We will take the prisoner from here.”

Kyla gave the woman a death stare. “We found him, Huranian. We will accompany him to Brax.”

The Spaceling, apparently from Huran, paused with a scowl on her face. But she stated, “Follow me.”

Colton smiled under his mask and praised Kyla’s brilliance. Comfortably naming the Spaceling by her planetality seemed successful in throwing off any thoughts of suspicion. It wasn’t something Earthlings were known to do.

They emerged past the pine trees to the officer’s tents, and he felt around in his pocket, making sure his accessory was still there. Please work as well as I’m hoping you do. You’ll make or break us. 

The Huranian stopped to talk to two guards outside of the largest tent—the central command. And then, just like that, they were in.

The second Colton strode through the opening, he almost froze in his tracks. Kulik, Unjil, Crusad, Violet; like a magnet, his eyes spotted them all in there, along with maybe thirty or so others. And the worst part was they all turned to focus on him and his companions once they entered.

But though his heart raced, he had a mission to accomplish. He calmed himself the best he could, stepped forward, and prayed his face mask covered enough to keep him unrecognized.

Brax stood behind a table, overlooking a self-made map of what they, at that point, must have scouted. It wasn’t much: a camp, a river, and lots of trees. But only three people stood beside him, and one was Kulik, which worked for Colton’s plan. Everyone else faced them on the opposite side of the table and thus would face Colton and the others’ backs.

Kyla pushed her way through while grabbing Morris and yanking him forward. Colton followed behind. Once she stepped out in front of the other officers in the tent and stood directly across the table from Brax and the three beside him, she stopped and pulled her mask down.

Colton knew Brax and Kulik wouldn’t recognize her. But will the other two? He held his breath and slowly moved his hands under his cloak for the accessory.

Kyla reported in her fake accent, “Colonel, we found this Earthling scout roaming the camp’s perimeter.”

Brax didn’t even look twice at Kyla. He stared at Morris with a smirk before saying, “I see. Coincidentally, this Earthling is a barrack-mate of mine. He is good friends with Samson.” He chuckled. “A scout, Morris? What is the matter? You opted out prematurely last time, so wanted to be the first to act in this one?”

Morris put his usual ominous expression on his face and responded, “Blow yourself, Brax.”

A couple of the Spacelings gasped while others laughed. Both cultures were becoming more comfortable with one another’s lingo.

However, it had grabbed the Spaceling’s attention, and that was all Colton needed. He pulled the accessory into his hands and grasped the pin.

Since collaborating with Earth and its militaries, they had learned that one thing the Royal Army found particularly notable was the flash bomb or flash grenade. They had never been invented or used in the rest of the universe because the people in it could create the effect by wielding. But wielding could be detected, and these couldn’t, so the Throne believed they had good manual uses. Colton planned on testing that theory.

He had his fingers on the pin, waiting for Kyla’s cue.

Brax sneered at Morris and wielded his Solara forth. “I can make it nice and slow. Let you anguish in the pain before you awake back in the dome.”

Morris shrugged and said, “You won’t. You’re a douche, not a monster.”

The sneer disappeared, and Brax’s mouth twisted to the side, giving him a thoughtful expression. “The problem with a simulation like this is we cannot hold the idea of death over your head. Which means you will not give me any information, will you?”

Morris shook his head and answered, “Absolutely not.”

Brax addressed Kyla for the first time. “What zone did you find him in, Private?”

She tried to look embarrassed when saying, “Well, sir, we kind of got lost and confused on the zones...”

While Kyla spoke, Brax scanned the five of them with a frown.

Sweat trickled down Colton’s forehead as it was much warmer in the tent. He’s wondering why we haven’t taken off our masks.

Brax’s eyes locked onto his, and they both froze. Without a doubt, there was full recognition there.

Colton had no time. He could only hope the women picked up on it. He pulled the pin and let the flash grenade roll onto the floor.

55

Colton had the brief enjoyment of taking in Brax’s shocked face, relief in seeing Kyla’s Solara—her cue—envelope around her before he wielded forth his power. And as he and Kyla had done back in the courtyard at Dulver, he threw up an energy shield to withstand the concussion blast from the grenade, one that filled his vision with his green energy, blocking out the blinding flash.

He heard and felt the force hit his shield more than he saw it. And after waiting a moment, he took down his wielded blindfold before springing into action.

The Spacelings hadn’t been ready. The ones not thrown to the ground were bent over, holding their heads or swinging their hands blindly in front of themselves.

Colton locked in on a squinting Brax, clearly somewhat thrown off by the blast. But it must not have been entirely because he still held off Morris and Kyla, even though both had pounced on him immediately. Colton rushed to help.

Brax somehow got a Solara shield up around himself, and Colton stopped short when he realized its strength. They weren’t going to break it individually. Emily had already reached the fight, but he pulled Becky and Molly back and ordered, “We need to link. Give me command.”

They did so in a heartbeat, and he again felt pride over how much people trusted his leadership in the combat-sims. But he only allowed the thought to last a moment. He had control and threw all of it at Brax’s shield, a constant current pushing against it. Even with the three of their powers combined, the protection held for at least ten seconds before it wavered and collapsed.

Brax stumbled back but did the only thing that might save him. Still squinting and feeling his way in front of himself, he went mad and started swinging his sword at his attackers in a half-coordinated, half-wild manner.

Colton panicked and froze when a slash caught Emily across the chest. She screamed before falling to the ground in a chunk of ice.

But Morris and Kyla didn’t let it happen twice. Morris evaded the wild swings, waited for his chance, and grabbed both of Brax’s arms as Kyla took her sword and stuck him through the heart with it.

Colton only had a brief moment’s joy of taking in Brax turn to ice before he sensed the attack coming from behind. He pulled Becky down with him as a sword swept over their heads. The two guards outside during the blast had joined in, and he looked around to realize that many in the tent were getting their minds and focus back together.

The second guard attacked Becky all out. She evaded enough for Colton, still linked with her and Molly, to blow him off his feet and out of the tent with a giant ball of energy. All the while, Colton evaded the first guard’s attacks with his own feet and sword until Molly buried one of her two tomahawk-like weapons into the side of his neck.

She stepped around the now-ice figure and helped Colton up.

He stood, letting go of the link, as Kyla and Morris reached them.

The entranceway of the tent was flooded with people. Many of the disoriented must have tried to find their way out and, in doing so, blocked those outside from getting in. He glanced at those remaining around his squad, just getting their vision back and starting to focus on their group.

He punched the closest Spaceling officer in the face, and when the man dropped, he ripped his coat off and threw it at Morris, still in Earthling gear. “Cover yourself,” he told him. He turned to the others and roared, “Come on! We have to go!”

He was tempted to take out more officers and further disrupt the Spaceling chain of command, but if they did, they’d have no chance of making it out. So he dashed into the mess that was the entranceway of the tent. It was complete chaos, but that was only to their benefit. Those inside were either too disoriented, or the commotion drowned out their voices. He knew if his squad could get past the trees, they’d blend back in and have a chance.

And so, after what seemed like forever of clawing and pulling, he made his way out with the others behind. He only paused for the briefest moment to ensure the four were all there before dashing into the camp. He didn’t take the time to observe if anyone recognized them outside of the tent or what type of pursuit there was because once he heard a yell of “Earthlings,” he decided they had to risk standing out by running away. If they moved slower and were spotted, they’d have no chance.

Kyla, faster than him, ran past.

At one point, they fought against a rush heading toward the command. Luckily, no one found people running away from the chaos suspicious.

Colton continued to run, and as the squad got farther from the camp center, the madness died, and the people there knew nothing of what had happened.

Kyla slowed up first, and he did as well, letting the others catch up. Molly was right behind Colton, a little ways back, Morris, and even farther behind him, about double the distance was short and stubby Becky.

He frowned. Come on, Becky, damn you.

Molly was out of breath when she caught up. She asked in a wheezy voice, “Are they following?”

The immediate answer was a flash of gray light that erupted from somewhere behind the tents, striking Becky in the back as she ran. She crashed to the ground brutally and broke into pieces of ice.

Colton didn’t have to say anything before they were all sprinting again.

People gave them strange looks as they burst through the calm part of the camp. He worried that someone would finally stop to ask questions when again, the Spacelings’ chaos saved them. Alarms started blaring throughout the air, which worked to their benefit. They were no longer the only ones running. Everyone now was.

Colton passed a soldier leaning over to listen in on the com in his ear. Two tents down, another asked, “In our uniforms? How are we supposed to decipher the difference?”

The alarms helped them easily make it to the camp edge. Unfortunately, that made the rest of the escape quite tricky.

Colton decided their only chance was to make a dash before the camp became more organized. “Make for the trees,” he ordered and burst into the open.

About twenty strides out, with his power wielded forth, he sensed a few blasts of energies coming their way. The attacks inched closer toward his back. They were fortunately weak, and without looking, he wielded an energy shield behind him, deflecting them. He sensed the real danger when they got halfway to the trees. He didn’t know what it was, but it felt strong. An individual shield wouldn’t stop it. He spun around, threw himself onto his back, and screamed, “Link!”

It was one reason he had chosen his friends for the mission. Because again, not only did the link form instantaneously but without saying it, they gave him—the strongest of them all—the power to control. And with the four all by him, he wielded forth a strong shield, protecting them from the coming attack.

When he saw the force, though, horror shot through him. A ball of energy at least twenty feet in diameter hurtled toward them. It must have been wielded by an eleven-person link—eleven people all strong in power. His shield would never hold.

He was ready to turn to ice when a second energy shield formed above his, and he looked up to see Tommy, Ace, Demarcus, and Eric bursting from the trees he had been trying to reach.

The blast hit the back-to-back shields and shook violently as it did. Colton felt a massive pressure and blow to his energy, but it held. When it was over, he jumped up and ran again.

They had just reached Tommy and the others when a third attack neared them. All eight linked, and Colton again spun around, throwing up one massive shield.

Hundreds of Spacelings poured out of the camp as the blast pounded against his protection. It brought him to his knees, and he was horrified and unprepared for a second wave of multiple minor attacks that followed. Unable to block them all and desperately needing to conserve energy, he broke the link.

“Avoid them,” he roared and did his best to do so. He rolled forward, just missing one energy blast, and jumped to the right as a second almost took him in the leg. He hopped and dodged a good thirty seconds before it was over. When he looked around, Demarcus was gone, a solid block of ice standing close to where he had last been.

“We’ll never make it with this duck-and-run bullshit. We need to get to those trees,” Colton yelled and dashed off again.

They made it, but only a couple of seconds before another giant blast did as well. They linked again on the run, and, not even facing the approaching threat, Colton got the third shield up to protect them. That time, however, was one too many. The blast shattered the guard, sending him pitching forward onto his face.

He did nothing to avoid the multiple smaller energies that again came from behind. He lay there, too exhausted, coughing up snow, expecting to turn to ice at any moment. But nothing happened.

He rolled over and realized that the surrounding trees absorbed most of the blasts. Only a few had gotten through. Luck, he thought, before looking up to see that the hundred or so pursuing Spacelings had cut the distance between them in half.

He got on his knees and whispered, “We’ll never make it.”

Eric shot everyone nervous glances, saying, “I hate to be the sheep, y’all, but shouldn’t we be running?”

Colton knew what he had to do. “Go, all of you. I’ll buy you some time.”

“Out of the question,” Morris blurted while Kyla yelled, “Not a chance.” The others echoed their agreements.

Colton shook his head. “We keep this up, and they’ll pick us off one by one. I said this wouldn’t be a suicide mission, and it damn well won’t. We accomplished our task, so get your asses out of here. That’s an order.”

Tommy had been the only one not to argue. He spun to the group and stated, “Half the point of killing Brax was a morale boost for our side. They won’t get that unless they know what happened. You’re the only ones who can give them that news. Now you guys heard your commanding officer—go!”

“And what, you’re staying?” Ace asked Tommy.

Tommy turned to Colton. “We hide in the trees. With two of us, we can make them think it’s all of us. We can slow them and buy enough time for the rest to get clear.”

Colton looked back. The pursuers were catching up quickly. He nodded to Tommy and focused a glare on the rest. “There’s no time for this. Go!”

At his tone, they fled. All but Kyla, who glanced back and said, “Colton, if this were real life, I would never let you do this.”

Words couldn’t describe the joy that simple comment left within him. He grinned. “If this were really your life on the line, you wouldn’t have a say in the matter. But don’t worry. With Tommy’s help, we can slow them enough so that when I know you’re all clear, we’ll follow. I’ll be right behind.” He waved her on. “Now go.”

She nodded with a small smile and was off.

Watching her recede into the wilderness, his happiness molded into determination.

Still exhausted from the flight, he looked at Tommy and asked, “All right, brother, what’s your plan? Cause I have none.”

Tommy helped lift him off his knees. “Come on. We should get deeper in. We’ll do what we said: attack them from different spots and make them think there’s more than just the two of us. Buy the others as much time as we can.”

With the thought of his friends still fleeing, adrenaline and energy coursed back into Colton. He and Tommy made their way roughly thirty feet deeper into the woods and turned just as the pursuers emerged into the first line of trees. They had ceased the attacks, most likely waiting to get the Earthlings in sight again.

He hid behind one tree, and Tommy did the same four to his right. They let the Spacelings walk about ten feet in before they wielded arrows of energy and sent them flying. Both moved immediately. Tommy ran farther right, Colton left, and both wielded a second blast at the pursuers. They moved again and repeated.

The first two shots took Spacelings by surprise and dropped them. None of the others did. The enemy either scattered behind trees and brush or linked in groups, throwing up strong enough shields to defend. When they realized nothing more powerful was coming, they fanned out into three groups of thirty to forty soldiers, spread equal distances apart, and slowly moved forward with linked shields raised.

Tommy found his way next to Colton and whispered, “Not much more we can do. Should we run?”

“I don’t think we bought enough time.”

Tommy looked disheartened. “Me neither.”

“Then we’ll give them everything we got. Take some of the bastards with us. Let’s step out and try to get them to lower their shields. You want the link?”

Tommy motioned to him. “You take it. Yours always hold strong.”

“The last one didn’t,” Colton said through a laugh before gathering his energy. “I’ll make good of this one.”

The two of them were in the direct line of the middle group, and they waited until the enemy was about ten feet in front of them before linking up and stepping out. Colton didn’t get the attacks he expected on his shield. Instead, he got frozen bodies and scared Spaceling faces, a satisfying reaction.

He grinned when Violet stepped out of the throng in front.

“Of course it is you,” she said. “I could not see in the tent.”

He threw his hands in the air, shook them, and responded, “Big bad wolf come to blow your house down.”

If she didn’t fully understand the analogy, she got the point and smiled. She immediately issued orders, though, gesturing to the other two groups on both sides of her. “Hurry, go after the rest. They killed our Colonel. They are not getting away with that.” She turned back to Colton. “I think forty of us can take you two.”

He grinned and said, “We’ll see.”

The other two enemy formations ran off in search of his squad, and frustration overtook him as he could do nothing to stop them. I hope it was enough.

The Spacelings fanned out in a circle around the two, gathering their energy for forty separate strikes. Colton searched as deep as he could for his and Tommy’s now combined power and put everything they had into forming the most powerful shield he wielded to date. If it held, he would at least keep those in front of him from pursuing his friends.

Once the enemy circle was complete, they didn’t hesitate before every single one sent a softball-sized blast of energy straight at him and Tommy.

He yelled, “Down!” and dropped to his knees.

He didn’t know what it was like to be hit by an eighteen-wheeler truck, but when the multiple blasts struck his shield, he imagined it was somewhat close. It weighed on everything. His neck, back, arms, and legs all felt like they would snap. And it didn’t end abruptly. They must have sent a couple of waves because it seemed like an eternity that his insides were ripping apart before the tension let up, and the forty Spacelings came thundering in on them.

Against all the weight, strain, and pain, he squinted his eyes open enough to see their feet as they charged. He let them get a few steps in front of him before doing what he imagined he must have done the night of Gull’s capture. He jumped up, simultaneously releasing his energy shield outward with him.

The effect was beautiful. The shield erupted in an explosion of raw power. At least five Spacelings went flying, and blocks of Colton’s green and Tommy’s brown Solara crashed into those behind like shrapnel. Three more took a blast to the face or chest and turned to ice.

Like the flash grenade, before the enemy regained their composure, Colton and Tommy—their shield and link now down—rushed in on them. The numbers against had one good thing going: mixed into that big a fold, the chance of Spacelings shooting Solara into the crowd and risk hitting an ally was unlikely. So Colton would fight with his sword until his arms could no longer move.

Tommy struck first, the spear point of his axe piercing through a young Spaceling man’s neck. Seeing a scene like that up close jolted the breakfast in Colton’s stomach. He shifted away from the body and used his sword to meet that of another Spaceling man’s. They locked eyes for a moment before, from his peripherals, he spotted another sword coming in from the right.

He slid to the side of it and punched the woman in the face who had been trying to stick him. I just hit a woman, he thought with a shock, but he didn’t hesitate to kick her feet out from under her. He ducked a swing from the first attacker and, while bent down, ran his sword through the man’s stomach.

He kicked the half-ice-man at two more Spacelings coming in from behind and spun back only to have to crane his neck away from the earlier woman’s sword. With the last bit of adrenaline pumping through him, he used it to blast and crumple her face with Solara, turning her to ice.

Wielding was a mistake, dizziness swept through him, and it didn’t go away until something sharp pierced his thigh. The pain was intense and sent him to a knee. He didn’t think it was the one who cut him, but he looked up and raised his sword to meet the axe of another man lunging at him. Tommy must have thought he wouldn’t act fast enough. He slammed into the axeman, and Colton’s sword instead found the stomach of the poor sap that stood behind.

The Spacelings were re-energized from his last-ditch blast and gathered shields around themselves. Someone Colton didn’t see must have had a clear view because a blue ball of power the size of a baseball flew straight for him. Too exhausted to wield himself, he threw up his sword. The ball hit the blade and exploded into a tiny firework show, causing him no harm.

Colton looked around for one last means of escape, saw they were surrounded, and decided to take out the few closest to him. Being tired was his excuse for why Tommy got three of the final four before the rest wielded forth protections. By the time the last one took Tommy’s handheld shield to the throat, a little space had formed around the two of them. Colton got up from his knee, stumbled, and stopped when he found Violet gaping.

She shook her head in disbelief. “Forty on two. Two Earthlings new to the power, only training with sword or axe for a few months, took out eighteen of us. That is almost half.”

He was exhausted, out of breath, in pain, and could barely stand. But he still managed to wheeze out, “That was actually one of my weaker performances.”

Tommy chuckled beside him. His friend looked like he would fall over if not for his axe to lean on.

Violet frowned before shrugging and stating, “It is fortunate that you are on our side in the real war. But for now, I am going to have to kill you.”

Utterly exhausted but pleased with all they accomplished, Colton was laughing when she walked up with an energy shield wielded around herself. His leg was numb with a gash across his thigh—unable to hold his weight, and he only had enough energy left to swing his sword once. So while still laughing, he tried. It bounced off her shield, and she wasted no time piercing her javelin through his defenseless stomach.

His face scrunched up in agony. He had never felt anything like the sharp pain that erupted in his middle, imagining his entrails were being stabbed by a thousand tiny knives and set on fire for good measure.

The last thing he saw and heard was a sad smile on Violet’s face as she whispered, “Sorry, handsome.”

A cold chill swept through him, and everything went black.

56

Colton opened his eyes, and for a moment, his brain still registered the pain. But by the time his hands found his stomach, it was gone. He looked down, saw his midsection clear of any blood or wound, and breathed a sigh of relief.

The hissing sound of his pod opening echoed behind him. He looked into the center of the dome’s glass, where thousands of multi-colored Solara energies floated and bunched together to visualize what was happening within the combat-sim. He had heard that’s what it did, but only when enough people connected into the same simulation. He stood, figuring he’d get a better view from the dome’s entrance.

Tommy appeared in the pod’s doorway. He rubbed his chest and whined, “Jerk didn’t call me ‘handsome’ when she stabbed me.”

Colton chuckled and put an arm around his friend’s shoulder as they walked out to the lobby together.

Being so early in the combat-sim, there weren’t many people gathered to watch. But of those who were there, they divided themselves into two groups. The larger, led by Brax, who muttered to himself and shook his head, mostly glared when Colton and Tommy walked in. The smaller, consisting of Emily, Becky, and Demarcus, came to greet them.

“We did it,” Emily cheered.

Colton gave a quick nod. “That we did. How are the others?”

Grinning and staring within the dome, Tommy answered, “They’re getting away.”

Colton smiled and looked up to see it was the truth. He and Tommy had opened a good lead for them, and so long as they stayed smart, it would be enough.

He turned from the scene when Brax called out, “Well, Samson, what is it? Should I be flattered or insulted that you sacrificed your simulation to end mine?”

Colton didn’t want to give him more of a reason to be smug, but he knew he should acknowledge the truth. “As much as I dislike you, Brax, I had to be rational with this one. You were born to lead soldiers in battle. It’s in your blood, and you have been training for it since birth. Most of us Earthlings have never been in battle, and we’ve spent ninety-nine percent less of our lives wielding. We’re already disadvantaged, so I evened the odds the best I could.”

Brax kept his face blank. He stared at Colton for an extended time before saying, “I have followed and believed in the prophecies since I was old enough to remember. I have always envisioned that if it happened in my lifetime, I would walk alongside The Son of the Prophets and help him in his quest. So when The Heart of the Flame wielded on Earth, it was a blow to everything I stood for.”

He shook his head. “How could a man I view as evil, the man starting a universal war, how could he be the one I have always kept faith in? Fearful, I looked to the Throne that has always guided my family. First, they allowed you all to enlist in our ranks. I was okay with that. Anyone who wants to fight for themselves should be able to. And then they announced someone else had wielded on Earth. That sent a whole new hope through me.”

He sighed and lowered his gaze to the ground. “But then they named an Earthling the one to have done it. It has been a common belief in our society that Earth is weak, viewed as cursed, and forsaken. I am learning that is unjust, but that has been the stigma. So when they said it was one of your planetmen, they just as quickly stole that new hope from me.”

Colton took the first pause and cut him off. “Do you know, besides my three friends and me, every Earthling that enlisted did so without knowing about the prophecy? They weren’t told about it until months after landing on Vintara.”

Surprise lit Brax’s face. “No, I did not know that. It helps me realize how tough this must be for you all. We have our differences, Samson, and we may never be friends. But for whatever it is worth, you Earthlings have shown me more than I expected. And you, in particular. I may be the greatest commander here, but you are by far the strongest wielder. So I want you to know you have revived that hope I had lost.”

Colton smiled. “Well, if it means anything, I am pretty damn comfortable with you leading our soldiers and friends in the coming battles. The Army of Flame will have its hands full dealing with Vintara Company if it’s under your command.”

Brax smirked and pumped a fist to his heart, the salute of the Royal Army.

Colton returned the gesture, and they shifted to watch the rest of the sim together.

To his delight, Kyla and the others made it to the Earthling encampment. From there, the battle was long and grueling. Both sides took similar stands, drawing the whole thing out. Brax made comments throughout, stating what he would have done differently. By listening, Colton learned much and knew he had undoubtedly given his people a better shot by eliminating the man.

Unfortunately, they lost anyway.

It was close, with the Earthlings fighting to the bitter end. It seemed the tide would turn their way at times, but it never did. The Spacelings had been wielding their entire lives. They had become accustomed to using Solara in non-conventional ways. It helped them escape more sticky spots and better take advantage of their chances. It was what won the simulation for them.

The following day the entire camp collected in the hall that the Earthlings were brought into on their first day. The major was there to address them.

“Recruits, foremost, let me congratulate you on a well-fought battle. You Earthlings almost pulled through. Given you have been wielding Solara for less than a year, that is a feat to be proud of.

“And that does not mean those from the other planets should be ashamed. You fought against your own disadvantage when Recruit Samson and his team struck the blow they did. It is not easy to overcome a tumbling chain of command, even for the most seasoned soldiers, but you did. So again, congratulations to all of you.”

Earthlings and Spacelings clapped one another on the back. Colton smiled at those around him, many offering praises for his plan.

“However, Recruit Samson,” the major addressed him directly. “The Son of the Prophets will find it difficult to help save this universe if he sacrifices his life so easily.”

The grin slipped from Colton’s face, and he looked down as he felt blood rushing to it.

Kulik was beside him. He nudged Colton’s shoulder and said, “I will disagree with the major on this one. You gave your people the best chance they had to succeed. That is something to be proud of.”

Colton nodded in thanks.

“There will be a few further cuts tomorrow,” Demoric continued. “But to those who remain, I commend you for surviving this process and growing as a unit. There may still be dissension towards Earth and its people from the public, but in this camp, I am proud to say that I no longer see a difference among any of you.

“In one week, there will be a congratulatory graduation party. The graduation will be two days after, where you will promote from recruits to soldiers. Brace yourselves. From there on out, you are the shields to help protect this realm from the Army of Flame. From that point forward, we will all see the coming fight through.”

Colton tensed. And what will follow that? Do I become The Son of the Prophets? Do we go to war?

He took a deep breath. Only time will tell.

57

The completion of the third combat-sim marked the beginning of the end of their training at Camp Penski. Further cuts were made the day after Demoric’s speech, sending more recruits home or to the space fleet. Colton was relieved that none of his friends were added to that list. Eric was designated as a healer, but he would stay with Vintara Company.

As the days progressed, the air had a laid-back feel. A calm before the storm, Colton had noted. Once they graduated, who knew what was in store.

The day between the upcoming party and the graduation would be Tarend Gull’s execution. It left Colton and his hometown buddies all a little on edge. But they found distraction in how the rest of the camp focused on the party, which Colton witnessed firsthand.

Violet smirked alongside him and asked, “Will you accompany me to it?”

He was taken aback, not having envisioned the party being a dating situation. The two headed for the showers after sparring in weapons training.

“I put a javelin through your stomach,” she added. “I feel a little in your debt.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just thrown off,” he responded. “I didn’t suspect people would bring dates.”

She frowned. “Colton, this party celebrates our success. With the rushed training, you Earthlings are not the only ones that have had no downtime or leave. There will be alcohol, people will let their spirits loose, and yes, the opposite sexes will mingle. The war could start the day after. The party might be the last chance at some fun for all of us.”

Last chance? Colton became lost in thought of someone other than Violet and didn’t respond.

She slapped his arm and asked, “So, will you be my date?”

He snapped out of it, smiled, and answered, “Of course.” He had Kyla absorbed in mind, but he couldn’t just say no to the woman.

Dress uniforms were fitted and brought in for the graduation, and so the day of the party, that was what everyone wore. Colton stood in the large hall where Major Demoric had first addressed them. He drank some sort of red fruit-liquor out of a goblet and examined his attire.

He pulled at the white skin-tight undershirt that felt like rubber on the outside but strangely was soft on the inside. A material called noslex, it was extremely comfortable and readily flexible. He also kept adjusting his coat's high collar, which left him feeling trapped in a tube.

Inspecting the coat, the symbol of the Universal Throne had been stitched on the left shoulder. But the insignia on his right one differed from the last time he saw it. Instead of an X, there was a star with different colored circles attached to the end of its five points: purple, white, brown, pink, and half-blue/half-green. The Throne had added a fifth planet—Earth—to the Army symbol.

“This is pretty good,” Tommy exclaimed, holding up his goblet of red liquor. “Tastes like the punch my dad makes on holidays.”

Morris looked at him askance. He threw his empty goblet away and declared, “This stuff sucks. Where’s the whiskey or the beer?”

Standing next to Colton in a matching uniform, Violet replied, “Whiskey? They want us to have fun, not destroy the place.”

Earthlings and Spacelings alike all chuckled.

Colton turned to her and asked, “So you guys have whiskey too?”

She smirked at him. “We have grains, barley, rye, wheat, corn. You have eaten some of these. Why would we not have whiskey?”

He gave a half-hearted laugh and looked away in embarrassment.

The night was young, and while everyone seemed to be having a good time, the whole date thing with Violet felt forced. He acted strangely and found himself at a loss for words.

A drunk-looking Crusad came stumbling out of the mass of people filling the hall. He put his arms around Ace and a Gorian woman that was Ace’s date. “Tomorrow is Tarend Gull’s execution. Word is you gentlemen will be there to witness it. Is there any truth to that?”

Colton frowned. Crusad’s words had some Spacelings who didn’t know them well muttering to one another. The event had become a big story, with the Throne openly executing a Soldier of the Flame. People viewed anyone there to witness it as half a celebrity. Unfortunately, he was already getting sick of being a Vintaran celebrity. So as Morris answered Crusad, Colton downed his drink and walked across the room to grab two more.

The place was packed, with almost the entire camp being there. Clusters of people scattered throughout the hall and poured through the doors onto the outside steps.

He got his two drinks and was returning to his friends when he spotted Kyla talking, or what he imagined in his head to be flirting, with Canter Brax. Brax leaned his arm against a wall, sipping a drink with the other while he grinned down at her, looking as if he was telling her some grand story. She had her arms folded, nodding her head, and the smile back at him seemed genuine.

She killed him in the combat-sim, Colton remembered, disheartened. Did she feel bad and want to be his date like Violet is mine?

The goblets he grabbed were tilted and spilling the alcohol to the ground when Violet emerged and lifted them straight. “What is wrong, Colton? You look like someone just insulted your parents’ wielding.”

He looked away from the miserable scene and shook his head. “Hey, sorry. There’s so much going on right now. It has me out of sorts.”

Concern was written on her face. “Stop me if I am at any point rude, but is it what Crusad said? I understand Gull is being executed for murdering an Earthling. One that was friends with—”

Colton held his hand up and cut her off. “His name was TJ. He was one of the best people I knew.” He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol after going so long without any, as he only had two drinks up to that point. But with the stress of worrying about the future, he couldn’t handle the emotions of thinking about his lost friend at that moment. He closed his eyes, and tears welled up behind them.

Violet was instantly there, rubbing both his arms. “I am so sorry, Colton. That was thoughtless of me to bring up.”

He paused before subduing his emotions and saying, “No, it’s okay. TJ’s gone, but it won’t be for nothing. His death brought me here, exactly where I need to be. And tomorrow, he finally receives justice for what happened to him.”

He opened his eyes and looked back toward Kyla and Brax. Kyla had spotted him, with Violet holding his arms. She gave a look only a jealous person could, shooting daggers at Violet. That cheered him up before he looked back at Violet and felt immediately guilty.

He smiled down at her and said, “Let’s go have some fun.”

She grinned back. “I would love to.”

When he returned to the group, he raised his goblet and declared, “This one’s for TJ!”

That caused an immediate cheer from his friends, and a response of “TJ!” before the entire circle erupted in unison and downed their drinks, paying their respects.

After that, things got fuzzy. There was a lot of drinking and dancing. The different styles between Earthlings and Spacelings were clear. The Spacelings moved a little faster and were sultrier in their shakes and thrusts. But even with that being the case, a couple kept some distance apart, only ever touching with hands or quick taps of their hips.

Colton and his friends only knew the style of New England bars and clubs, so when Ace had too many drinks early on and began caressing his body on his date’s backside, she was taken aback and slapped him. Later in the night, however, she seemingly became eager to learn.

There was also a drunken conversation about their futures. A debate began over humanity’s need for violence and whether they could truly have peace. That was when Morris drunkenly stated, “Peace and love, that’s what we fight for. If we’re victorious, you better believe we’ll have peace.” By that point, their group had grown, and their entire hall section erupted in a not-so-sober applause.

The night flew by. But as they approached the midnight hour, Colton started again dwelling on the execution. He figured the only way to avoid being a complete mess for it was to stop drinking and get to sleep. He received “boos” from the many still there when leaving, but he waved them off and graciously accepted walking Violet back to her barrack.

They didn’t hold hands or make romantic gestures during the walk. It being one of the clearest nights Colton had seen on the usual cloudy Vintara, she pointed out the different stars and constellations and showed which were the other planets in the system.

He looked at Violet as she talked. The moon shined down, basking her hair aglow in purple light, and her eyes sparkled. They had a great time with one another throughout the evening, and that awkward not-knowing-what-to-say feeling had dispersed. Violet was more than any guy could ask for.

But after going so long without having a real conversation with Kyla, their interaction in the third combat-sim made him realize how badly he missed her and wanted to see her more.

He finished walking Violet and hugged her goodbye at her barrack. There was no kiss. Both understood it wasn’t there amongst them, and he felt she was content with that. When he went to pull away, she squeezed his hand and said, “Goodnight, Colton, and good luck tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” he said. “I had a lot of fun, Violet. You have yourself a good night as well.”

One hell of a woman, he thought as he walked away.

A couple of minutes later, heading back to his barrack, he saw a dark shape leaning against the outside of one in his path, staring at the stars. He was surprised when Kyla’s voice called out, “It was all so eerie at first, but I’m finding the purple night sky beautiful.”

Colton smiled as he approached her. “I just had a very nice woman enlighten me on every one of the stars in that sky. I wouldn’t mind sharing the information with you if you’d like.”

“Two moonlight walks in one night?” she asked, with an eyebrow arched. “You must fancy yourself a mighty fine guy.”

He shrugged. “I was imagining more so just a friendly stroll, at least on one account.” Let her dwell on that.

After a moment, he had to ask, “So, Brax? Really?”

It was her turn to shrug. “He is mister popular amongst these Spaceling women. I figured, why not indulge the interest he seemed to have in me?”

Colton imagined the two of them together and suddenly laughed. How could that have bothered me earlier?

She stepped forward into the light, frowning. “What’s so funny?”

He was still laughing when he replied, “I just realized how much you probably hated him.”

For a minute, she looked like she would lash out, but then her shoulders dropped, and a chuckle escaped her lips. “He was so awful. Why would anyone ever think they could impress a woman by talking about everything their father has done?”

Colton’s laugh turned into a roar, and he had to grab ahold of his stomach.

Kyla shook her head and stated, “For an hour, Colton. An hour!”

It took him a minute, but the fits subsided. He remembered that he was now okay with Brax and figured he should say something nice. “He was such an ass at first. But believe it or not, he’s actually a respectable guy.”

She smirked. “So you’re saying I should give him a chance?”

Colton snorted to let her know what he thought of that. “Will you walk with me?” he asked, holding out his hand.

She eyed him with a small smile before taking it. “Sure.”

They walked silently, shoulder to shoulder, for a bit. They both stared at the stars, but Colton periodically glanced at her. He sensed her doing the same when he wasn’t looking. He reflected on the few nights she had slept in his room at the Dulver Facility, the kisses they shared, the special kiss like nothing he had ever experienced when linked with her in the courtyard. Face the facts, fool, you miss her, and the idea of not having her in your life is horrendous.

He stopped and turned towards her. She kept walking a couple of steps before realizing and glancing back. He locked onto her eyes and said, “Kyla, I have thought about you every day here.”

She tried looking away. “Colton...”

He strode forward, grabbed her shoulders, and gently shifted her to face him. “No. Let me finish. You deserved to know the truth from me back at the facility. I had made a promise, and I keep my promises. But I still wronged you, and I’m sorry for that.

“I respected your wish for distance. But not communicating was supposed to get you off my mind and vice versa. Well, guess what? It hasn’t for me, and I call bullshit if you say it has for you. These last few months, I have learned everything I needed to, fulfilling more than I ever imagined I would. And I’ve done it all while still conscious of my feelings for you.”

He crouched to make their eyesight level. “We could ship out immediately. If that happens, no matter what comes of us, I will still think of you every day. I will miss your smile, laugh, and sense of humor. When I should focus on the war, I will get distracted remembering the late nights with you.

“And most importantly, no matter how long the war goes on, I will never stop worrying about you. The mystery of where you are, whether you’re safe or happy, will eat at me. And nothing is going to change that. Not even cutting complete contact. That only made it worse.”

Through the moonlight, he saw tears forming in her eyes. He continued, “I just wanted you to know this. Not to sadden you, not to compel you to give us a shot. I simply needed to do it before I no longer had the chance to do so.”

He finished speaking and waited as she choked back a couple of sobs. When she composed herself, she responded, “It wasn’t really the lie. I was mad at you for it, sure. But Colton, supposedly, you’re the one who needs to save the universe. Everything you’ve done here has only added to show that might be the case.

“Of course I have feelings for you, and yes, I have thought about you every day as well. But who am I to distract you from your responsibilities? To risk the fate of billions so I can get a shot with this awesome, cute guy I recently met?”

She sighed. “And how could I put that much pressure on myself? To possibly fall in love with the man who will need his mind completely focused elsewhere, the one man who will end up in the middle of the greatest dangers this war will have to offer. I didn’t want to do that to either of us.”

He wasn’t sure if it was the drinks or her words, he figured a combination of both, but a warm sensation coursed through his veins, and he felt flushed. He leaned his forehead down onto hers and whispered, “Maybe because you don’t have a choice. We didn’t force these feelings onto ourselves or ask for them. But they are here, and no matter what happens, they’re not going anywhere.”

She closed her eyes. Colton watched a tear slide down her face, leaving a streak. He pulled her body close and hugged her.

“I know it,” she whispered, lifting her arms around him. “I’ve known it for some time now.”

He smiled into the side of her head and gently rubbed her back. He let her rub him as well for a minute before trying to lighten the mood with a jest. “You know, with all these tears from you, at Dulver and now here, I have to say I thought you were stronger than this.”

She guffawed before pushing away and declaring, “You’re an ass!” But she grinned along with him, both laughing when they locked eyes.

“Come on,” he urged, and they started walking again.

“So, what’s this mean for us?” she asked.

Colton looked down at her, took her hand, and responded, “It means we both know how we feel. We understand that together or apart, the feelings are there, and that means part of our focus will always be there.”

He paused and thought of Willick. The man who had loved, took it for granted, and lost it. He tried warning me back at Dulver to take advantage while I still had the time. I should have listened better then, but I will now.

Kyla stared up at him expectantly, waiting for what he said next.

He hoped he sounded reassuring when continuing, “And perhaps without putting too much more thought into it, we just enjoy as much time together as we can. Without worrying about what it will mean for later.”

She scrunched her face in contemplation a moment, nose wrinkling up, before answering, “I can do that.”

“Good, then how would the lovely lady like to spend the rest of this pleasant evening?”

She hugged her arm with his and stated, “As close as possible.”

“That works,” he said with a smirk. “Throw a kiss in there somewhere, and you have yourself a deal.”

She looked up, expression serious, and focused on his lips. A warm tingling formed and spread down Colton’s body. Basked in purple moonlight, he leaned down, and their mouths met.

He tasted the alcohol on her tongue as his coursed over and around, moving in a steady rhythm with hers. He massaged her neck. She pulled at the back of his hair and nibbled at his bottom lip. After a couple of minutes, she went to pull away, and he grabbed her hip and pressed her back against him, extending the kiss.

Later, when they separated, they still held their mouths only inches apart, breathing heavily into one another for a good ten seconds. Afterward, he continued hugging her, and she leaned her head on his chest. When the adrenaline of it calmed down, she shivered in his arms. The night was chilly. But he didn’t want it to end.

He saw they weren’t far from the Pit and got an idea. Bringing her to the rope wall, he took the mat meant to cushion the fall at the bottom and leaned it half against the wall, half resting on the ground. He sat down on it, back against the wall, and she cuddled up against him, into his arms. He rubbed her sides and wielded a flame the size of a basketball to heat them.

As the minutes passed, holding the wielding became taxing. Not to mention Colton wasn’t sober, so keeping the focus was difficult and made him a bit dizzy. But he felt her slowly warming up, and her head drooped into his lap. He caressed her hair, and only when her breathing steadied, and he could tell she slept, did he let go of the flame.

It had been a long night, and the wielding added to his exhaustion. He glanced at the moon, glimpsing a craft sparking in flame as it entered the atmosphere, shooting high across the purple skyline. He looked away, buried his face in Kyla’s hair, and fell asleep holding her.

58

As Colton and Kyla slept, high above them, the craft he had seen entering the atmosphere flew to the capitol, Vintara City. It arrived at Vintara City Port and entered through gate fifty-five.

The port security guard on duty was Lukega Crasp. He leaned in a chair, watching a newscast discuss the growth in the ability of the Earthlings stationed at Army recruitment camps across the planets. Like many other Vintarans, he was skeptical about the truth. That the Earthlings could wield had been proven. But can they truly be fitted for combat that quickly?

It was only when the report he had been waiting for, the discussion of the execution to take place the following day, that the craft entered his gate. He heard the buzzing and turned to see the ship descending. He muttered to himself, frustrated.

His intercom blared, and a voice asked, “Which platform?”

Lukega rechecked his list, seeing no craft scheduled, but that was common. His gate was open and meant for any such arrival. He responded, “Platform four will do.”

The ship descended to the last platform on the far right.

He clasped on a heavy cloak as the night had a chill to it. His sword was already on his belt. He made his way over to the craft as its backside hissed open, a hooded figure emerging from within. The man met him at the bottom of the craft’s ramp, face hidden in the hood.

“Pleasant night, stranger,” Lukega greeted. “What is your business in Vintara City?”

As he spoke, he took out his Solara scanner and scanned a two-foot bar next to the opening of the craft. A screen became visible on the reader, matching a Vintaran trader that planet defense had marked entering the atmosphere minutes earlier. The ship would have been tracked to his spot, and they would wait for him back at defense headquarters to name it a threat or not.

The hooded man grumbled, “Pleasant? I am coming from Bantel, friend. It is colder than Earth’s heart here.”

Lukega smiled but then frowned. “Pardon, you came from the Sister System?”

The man nodded. “That is right. They are finally letting people out. I am unsure what changed, but I have been sitting on my goods for weeks. I did not feel like pausing to ask.”

Lukega wielded his blue energy as light and looked into the craft’s hull. The vessel itself was not very large. The hull was only thirty feet across but filled with crates marked by the emblem of Bantel. He typed into the scanning mechanism’s keypad, and the screen popped up the craft’s registry. It confirmed that the ship’s last known destination had been Bantel, captained by a middle-aged-looking man named Forzary.

“Where is the rest of your crew?” he asked.

The hooded man gestured behind him. “There are only three others, all sleeping in the front. We traveled full speed here. I did not allow them to rest until we entered the atmosphere. We needed to make up time. I am sure you understand.”

Lukega nodded before walking into the hull, checking that all the crates up and down were marked. He stopped in the middle of the second row and asked, “Would you be kind enough to open one?”

The captain opened the crate closest to them. It was filled with simulation calendars titled “The beauties of Bantel.” On the front cover was a beautiful green-haired, half-naked woman lying in brush and smiling up from the middle of a jungle.

The hood was so large on the captain that Lukega’s light only made out his grin. “These could warm a man up from the cold temperatures easily. Have one on me.”

Lukega smiled. “I would love to, but I know a woman who got released for accepting gifts. The authorities dislike it.”

The captain shrugged. “To you, your preference. Anything else you need to see?”

Lukega again checked the scanner’s display. “My reports have you heading out to Bantel weeks ago. Given the situation there, it makes sense your return was delayed. I only need to confirm you are Captain Forzary. I can give you clearance if you wield into my scanner here.”

The captain paused, his stance different, eyes unseen but penetrating through his hood. His voice was low and even when he said, “Your fate is in your hands, friend. What happens next is up to you.” He wielded into the scanner.

An alert blared from the scanner’s display, and Lukega looked down to see a non-match. The mechanism took a second to register, but an X went through Forzary’s picture, and below it appeared one of a man with black eyes, a scar running up and down one side of his face. Fear shot through Lukega. He gazed up, and with the man’s hood suddenly down, he locked eyes with one of the most feared men in the universe.

“All up to you,” Darys Runebar repeated, black eyes seeming to penetrate Lukega’s soul.

He hesitated for a moment but did not turn his gaze away as he pressed the emergency button, sending the information to Vintaran Defense Headquarters.

* * *

Across the city, an emergency warning popped up on the control room’s screen at the headquarters. Shar stood before it with his father’s coin floating in circles around his hand. He glanced at the three people passed out around him, knowing they would not wake anytime soon; the drugs he put in their drinks were potent. They would rouse in the morning without remembering his presence or what had happened.

A picture of a clean-shaven dark-haired man with black eyes and a large scar appeared on the left side of the screen. His name ran across the top, and on the right side, the alert read, “High profile threat located at Vintaran City Port, gate fifty-five: platform four. Person is considered highly dangerous and poses a threat to the entire planet. Person is to be engaged and taken into custody, condition: dead or alive.”

Shar peered again at those passed out across their desks. He heaved a huge sigh before pocketing the coin and walking to the controls. He pressed a series of buttons on the board, and within moments the alert vanished, with the screen back to its usual on-watch status, no one the wiser.

He looked away, feeling regret for the guards. They would wake up and most likely think they all had fallen asleep. On a typical day, those with the late shift were tired during it, and with the raised alerts from what was going on in the Sister System, he knew these men had been exhausted. They would wake, panic, check the system, and find nothing. They would breathe a sigh of relief and go on as if it had not happened.

Then events would unfold that would lead to questioning and checks. Their system would be analyzed, and the deleted warning would be found deep-rooted in it. The guards would claim innocence and admit they had fallen asleep. But it would all seem too suspicious. Authorities would never find security footage in the room. Shar had made sure of that. Someone would have to answer, so the guards would likely be cast down as traitors and condemned.

It was wrong, but to him, everything was wrong lately. Shar shook his head and left the room.

* * *

Back at Vintara City Port, gate fifty-five: platform four, Lukega released his finger from the emergency button on his scanner.

Darys Runebar did not miss it and shook his head. He sounded sad when he muttered, “You made your choice.”

Lukega knew he had no chance of defeating the man in combat. He wielded and sent as many crates as possible onto Runebar’s back and turned to run. If he made it to his office, he could enable the defense system and lock himself in.

He did not see that Runebar was ready and unmoved by any of the toppling crates. Nor did he see the hulking figure in the shadows, emerging at the same time it swung its large scythe his way.

Lukega, unaware of the threat, had still been smart enough to wield an energy shield around his body. Unfortunately, it did not matter. The scythe shattered straight through the protection as if it were paper and took him in the face.

59

Colton awoke to a stirring Kyla. He took a moment to work the kinks out of his aching neck before looking down at her. When she opened her eyes, they met his, and a grin lit her face.

“Good morning,” he said.

She tried to hide the smile in his lap, which caused her response of, “Hello,” to be muffled. But she still came out grinning as she stretched and sat up.

Colton glanced around, stretching his back and arms as well. The sky was still half-dark, and there wasn’t a person in sight. “Don’t think we got much sleep,” he mumbled through a yawn.

“Who cares,” she responded, rubbing the drowsiness out of her eyes. “Last night was the calmest and most relaxed I’ve been in a while.” She stood up, adding, “And besides, there’s nothing happening today. I plan on sleeping the morning away.”

Colton stared past her. “Not me. I’m going to see a man die today.”

She gasped. “Oh my god. I forgot the execution was today. How do you feel? Are you nervous? Scared?”

He wasn’t any of those. He felt only sadness. Sure, he’d watch Tarend Gull die. But while it would be justice, it wouldn’t bring TJ back to life. Nothing ever would.

I miss the kid horribly.

With emotions stirring that he wasn’t comfortable displaying in front of her, he wanted to seek his friends out. He tried answering Kyla as honestly as possible without being rude. “I’m poised. Today will be justice for TJ, my neighbors, and all those lost on Earth that night. No one can do much more for them at this point. But I have to get going. We are leaving early for it.”

She seemed to understand his unease. “All right, you should get to your friends. Will we see one another before graduation?”

He pulled her tight against him and leaned in for a kiss. When finished, he said, “If I have any control over it, we will.”

She grinned. “Good. And good luck today.”

“Thanks.” He stood to leave but looked down and added, “I agree, Kyla. Last night was relaxing, the best night I’ve had in a long while.” He glimpsed her face light up before he walked away.

The party had its effect on the camp. Even though the sun was barely up, usually, Colton would be halfway through his morning run at that point, along with a few hundred others. But he only passed two people on the way back to his barrack. Once there, he stepped in and had to stop and stare in wonder.

Tommy seemed to be the only one awake. He sat on his cot, reading a book, surrounded by absolute chaos. Next to him, at least half the blankets in the barrack were piled up on Morris’ bed, a loud rumbling snore reverberating under them. Demarcus was only in his briefs, passed out with legs and arms sprawled on his sheet-less cot. David’s head hung off the end of his, drool visibly falling from his mouth. Eric mustn’t have even made the cot, curled under a blanket in the middle of the barrack floor. And as for Ace, he was nowhere to be seen.

The Spacelings weren’t in much better shape. They were out cold, snoring, and twisted in all irregular forms on their cots as well. At first, he took Kulik to be sleeping, but when his hand moved up to rub his head, Colton realized he was awake. And next to him was the funniest sight in the room: Brax, passed out, in nothing but briefs, with writing all over him. He was covered head to toe in obscene words and even lewder pictures.

Colton looked at Tommy, who nodded at the black marker by the foot of Brax’s cot and explained, “He passed out first. Morris had the marker. He told the others what we do on Earth to the first to fall asleep. Brax’s buddies were all about it.”

Colton stared at him for a second, looked back at Brax, and broke out laughing. Tommy joined him, and a groan emanated from under the pile of blankets on Morris’ cot. His head poked out from the side, and his voice was rough when he asked, “What...the hell?”

They both turned their laugh to Morris before Tommy glanced back to Colton with a speculating look on his face. “Where were you last night?”

He worried his friends would find his back-and-forth with Kyla crazy. He knew Tommy at least had to be getting sick of hearing about it. So he said, “I got lost.”

Tommy grunted in response.

Ace took that moment to step into the barrack and around Colton, walk over to his cot, and bury his face in it.

Colton gave him a speculating frown before asking, “Where were you?”

Head still buried in the bed, he muffled out, “Women’s barracks. Tired.”

Colton laughed again and shook his head. “Well, we’re just a mature lot, aren’t we?”

With his head the only part of his body visible, Morris looked up with bloodshot eyes and a scowl as he grumbled, “Hey. If we’re putting our asses on the line, we should at least be able to have some fun in the process.”

Kulik, looking like he had a fierce headache, chimed in, “As much fun as it was, I would not recommend wielding today. Solara may naturally defend the body and keep it healthy and safe, but alcohol is poison. It will impair your wielding just as much as any of your senses.” He grabbed his head again. “Not to mention an afterache affects the mind and feelings, as well as the body, which can only worsen through wielding.”

Colton figured afterache must mean a hangover, and he surprisingly didn’t have one. But he still nodded before walking over, slapping Ace on the back, and ripping the blankets off Morris. “Come on, get up.” Neither moved, so he wielded, hitting both twice as hard with a nudge of energy.

Ace lifted his face from the pillow to glower and complain, “Dude?”

Morris groaned and held his stomach. “I have never felt this bloated. Definitely need to take a—”

“C’mon!” Colton yelled at them. “Tarend Gull dies today. This day is for TJ. Get up!”

They both continued to give him dirty looks, but neither did they oppose him. And after a moment, both acknowledged his words and started getting in order.

A couple of hours passed by quickly. Colton, Tommy, Ace, and Morris spent it keeping to themselves. They ate breakfast and talked a lot about TJ, memories with him, and things that had happened since childhood. It was always a tough topic to broach, but simultaneously, it brought forth a calming effect. TJ had his life cut short, but his memory would live on.

Their uniforms were ruffled from the previous night, but they wanted to wear them. So they took the time to clean and dry them with Solara. With the hangovers from the drinking hitting Ace and Morris the hardest, Colton and Tommy had to do the drying.

As Colton dressed in his, he thought, Let Gull see what he helped bring forth before he dies.

Eventually, midday rolled around, and it was time for the four to meet with Tal. As they approached the supply warehouse near the camp gate, their meeting place, Colton began feeling uneasy. It’s not every day you watch a man get speared to death, he figured.

He inspected the others, and they mainly seemed calm. Ace looked a little woozy, but he knew that could be the hangover. Morris had a fierce determination on his face as if he would be the one to spear Gull. And Tommy appeared his usual self, unreadable.

The warehouse had multiple guards from within the camp positioned outside of it. They stopped them as they approached.

A dark-skinned soldier held a device up and said, “Recruits Samson, Wilmont, Castillo, and Morris. If you could please wield into this one at a time.”

Colton glanced at the others questioningly. When they all shrugged, he wielded forth his Solara and sent a tiny drop of energy into the mechanism. It beeped before a screen lit up on it.

“Colton Samson, confirmed,” the guard said into the device. “Coming in now.” He turned to Colton. “Thank you, Recruit Samson. You may enter through the door behind me.”

Colton frowned back at the blank faces of his friends before walking through the door. He stepped into the warehouse and stopped in his tracks.

It was as if he had entered a war zone. At least twenty black hover vehicles were inside, and they looked more like tanks than anything else. There were also roughly a hundred guards within the building. Some wore the standard gray uniform of a soldier, others were cloaked all in white, and some wore purple uniforms and black cloaks.

And they were all staring at him.

His friends came in behind. Ace was the last. He walked through the door looking pale and complaining, “Man, Kulik wasn’t kidding when he said don’t wield...” He trailed off and gaped when he noticed the scene within.

Tal emerged from the center of the throng, walking to meet them. He wore all brown except for a green cloak that billowed behind him, a brown eagle on it. “Gentlemen,” he greeted the other three before turning to Colton and bowing his head. “My lord.”

He’d done it before, but Colton was still embarrassed.

Colton glanced around at the men staring their way and asked, “Who are all these people, Tal?”

Tal gave him a sideways look. “Your protection, my lord.”

He shook his head. “First off, please stop calling me that. And second, what do you mean, ‘protection’?”

Tal followed his glance around. “Everyone knows who you are now. You have become an enemy of the Quinneros, a rival to their beliefs. Any chance they get, they may make a move against you. All these people here are working to ensure that does not happen today.”

He pointed to the different groups. “I am sure you recognize the normal soldiers from the Army in gray. You have the Vintaran Special Forces, or VSF, in purple. And some of the king’s personal defenders garbed in white.”

Colton studied them. The king’s defender’s pants, tunics, and cloaks were all white, each with a white spear resting against the ground. The VSF wore purple uniforms and black cloaks with a purple circle embroidered on the back—the emblem of Vintara.

Tal gave him an intense look. “You are this universe’s hope. Your life comes before any of ours.”

Colton froze. Saying he was taken aback didn’t justify what he felt. His mind couldn’t function, unable to get a coherent thought.

Tommy walked up and grabbed his shoulder. “When we made the solo trip to the trial, the enemy didn’t know you existed, buddy. There was no need to defend you then. Now there is.”

Colton slowly nodded. “Yeah, no, I get that. I just...I guess...I didn’t think about it. And even if I had, it’s one thing to think, another to see. Would these people really die for me?”

“These soldiers believe in their king,” Tal responded. “If he says you need protecting, then yes, they would die to do so.”

Wow. Colton’s eyes were wide as he looked around at a room filled with people willing to fight for him.

Tal tapped him on the back. “We need to be going.”

Once he calmed down, Colton dwelled on the situation, and worry crept into his mind. The fact that he was already uneasy didn’t help the matter. “So, there’s a real chance we might be attacked en route to the execution? We may seriously run into problems?”

Tal seemed perplexed. “The percentage of anything dangerous happening is low. Security is tight on this planet. But, of course, there is the possibility. So we have to be prepared. Did you not expect this?” He smiled reassuringly. “Get used to it. This will be normal for you from now on.”

It took Colton a moment to process Tal’s words, but when he did, he laughed. He’d just have to get used to having a hundred guards protecting him everywhere he went. No big deal.

One of the VSF escorted Colton, his three friends, and Tal into one of the tank-like hover vehicles. That same woman, along with a soldier of the Royal Army and a king’s defender, followed in behind them. The rest of the guards moved quickly. Within seconds, every vehicle was occupied, and there wasn’t a person left standing in the warehouse.

A large door on the opposite side from where they had entered opened upward. Vehicles began spilling out. The tanks, or what Tal told them, were called RAVs—reinforced Solara armored vehicles—set out in a three-by-six rectangular formation. Once they were out of the warehouse and through the gates of the camp, small motorcycle-like hovercrafts formed up along their sides.

As they rose high and set out over the Vintaran plain, Colton’s uneasiness didn’t waver. This is serious. This shit just got real. He didn’t want to think he had been as naïve as not to be ready when it all stopped being words and became reality. But the whole thing had yet to hit him harder than at that moment.

He scanned his surroundings, paranoid. As they merged with traffic over the plains highway, two similar-looking vehicles moved to pass his entourage, and he cringed in his seat, expecting some explosive attack. Nothing came.

Tal could sense his unease. “Try to relax, my Lord Son. All should be fine. We are simply acting cautionary. Once we reach the prison, built by Solara-infused stone that would take an army to break into, security will be at a maximum, and there will be nothing to worry about.”

Colton was embarrassed at the fact that Tal felt he even needed to calm him down. He snuck a peek at the three other guards in the vehicle. They didn’t do it openly, but they gave him sidelong glances.

He shook his head, trying to appear casual while taking a deep breath.

The entourage maintained the flow with traffic that he knew would lead to the city, but about halfway there, it turned in a direction separate from the rest of the stream. They flew for some time over the plains and briefly over a small river that cut through them before a vast structure came into sight.

The prison was a tall, tower-like formation with multiple smaller buildings at its base. A high wall surrounded its outer perimeter. The buildings and walls were gray stone, blending with the plain it rested on.

A mass of people was gathered outside of the gates.

“Media,” Tal muttered with distaste.

Inside there wasn’t much movement, the occasional few guards strolling the grounds. Colton had just been about to ask where they would land when he realized they were heading to the top of the tower.

“We’re avoiding reporters,” Tal said.

More than half the entourage dispersed towards the ground, and only nine of the RAVs made their way to the top, with theirs remaining surrounded in the middle.

As they came to land, the king’s defender in Colton’s vehicle held his hand up, momentarily pausing everyone inside. The other RAVs emptied, and those who got out searched the tower top and airspace. When everything must have passed the test, another man in white walked up to a window, knocked twice, and ushered them out.

Only when Colton stepped out and felt the cool blowing air did his caution mostly abate. There was nothing on the roof, and Tal said the prison would be secure.

To his surprise, High-Seat Bayel Rizar strolled across the tower top towards him. When he arrived, he greeted them with a smile. “Mr. Samson, gentlemen, good to see you all again. I will be the official Vintaran and Throne witness here today.” He gestured to a guard in all black that had walked up with him. “If you all could just give this fellow your weapons, we can be on our way.”

Colton’s hand gravitated to his sword strapped to his belt. He eyed the green Solara that blunted the blade’s edges, feeling uneasy parting with it. He and his friends had become accustomed to carrying their weapons with them. They did it pretty much everywhere in the camp.

Tal explained, “Only approved security retinues and staff are allowed weapons within the prison. It’s a mandatory rule for everyone.”

Colton reluctantly nodded and handed the sword over. It brought back a slight bit of his previous trepidation.

“Good,” Rizar sounded cheerful. “This is a significant event happening today, my friends. It is a big moment not just for Vintara but for Earth as well. In a way, it is another link between us. So let us be on with it, shall we?” He headed to an opening across the tower that descended into the structure.

Colton and his friends followed, along with Tal and the three guards who rode in their craft. They trailed Rizar through the doorless opening that descended three flights of stairs and past a door guarded by two more men in black uniforms. They continued into a bending hallway with walls that were the same gray stone as the exterior. Once past the bend, prison guards lined the walls throughout.

As Rizar walked, he spoke. “Unlike the trial, nothing is expected of you today. You are here solely as witnesses. If you would like to say a word to Gull, you may do so, of course. But otherwise, sit back and take what satisfaction you can in the justice served.”

Colton was apprehensive. In a short time, he would watch a man die right in front of him. Gull deserved it. Colton had seen his friend’s death in person because of the man. But a part of him still felt a little sick at the idea. He questioned if it was really something he needed or wanted to watch.

“The event will be recorded for viewing,” Rizar continued. “It will later be accessible to the public. You are quite the celebrity now, Mr. Samson, so you might sometimes find the camera focused on you. My advice would be to ignore it. We could not keep the man out. The media gave us too hard a fight. He is free to put on display whatever he may wish.”

They came to an open door guarded by four Vintaran Special Forces. Rizar stepped to the side and ushered them in. When Colton moved to go, Rizar pulled him aside as well.

Tommy paused, looking confused, but Tal nodded him ahead.

Rizar stared at him intensely while everyone else walked past. Once they were in, he said, “Mr. Samson...my Lord Son. Your upcoming graduation marks an uncertain time ahead for both you and the Throne. The king and us high-seats have debated the best course of action moving forward. We have come to a somewhat agreeable plan, but before we begin, the king deems it prudent that he finally meets and speaks with you. Therefore, we hoped that after this execution, you would accompany me to the palace to have a private one-on-one with the realm’s leader?”

Colton felt thrown off. He had wondered when he’d meet the king, but he hadn’t expected it then. “Will anyone be coming with me?” he asked.

“Only Tal. And the same guards still on the tower top will escort you. But I promise your friends will be seen safely back to the camp.”

It was another highly nerve-wracking thing to dwell on, but Colton knew it had to happen sometime, preferably sooner.

“Okay.”

Rizar beamed. “Great. We will talk again at the end of the proceedings. Let me say it is a wonderful success how well you Earthlings are doing out here. Reports everywhere indicate fantastic results. There are powerful wielders amongst you. We have been fools for quite some time with your planet. But that is the past, and now it is as if the prophets have answered both our peoples’ prayers. We will do fantastic things together.”

Rizar’s enthusiasm and politeness seemed genuine enough, but if the intent had been to make Colton feel proud or to relax him, they fell short. He forced a smile and responded, “Thank you.”

Rizar nodded, and they both walked into the room.

60

Inside was a plain room made of gray stone like the rest of the tower. Ten chairs lined the front, two rows of five facing the wall opposite the door, where a raised platform stood. On the dais was an empty metal chair with straps.

Rizar walked over and took the middle seat in the first row. At the right end of that same line was the cameraman he had warned about, recording the group walking in. Tal was alone in the second row with the others and motioned for Colton to sit next to him. The three guards followed in, with the king’s defender standing directly behind Colton’s seat and the other two guarding the door.

The cameraman wielded his camera to hover over his shoulder. There was no blue mist around it as the media at the trial had done. He was hoping to catch the sound instead of blocking it out. The man looked anxiously at Colton, but he mustn’t have been allowed to interact because he otherwise kept to himself.

Taking his seat, Colton turned to his three friends.

Tommy leaned forward and asked, “What was that about?”

He kept his voice low. “I’m going to meet the king today.”

Ace and Morris’ eyes lit up while Tommy’s face remained blank.

He knew his best friend assessed what it meant. “We figured it was coming. We’re graduating tomorrow. The next phases need discussing.”

“Yeah, I suppose,” Tommy conceded.

“Do we get to go?” Ace asked.

“No.”

“Damn.”

Tal must have been eavesdropping. He leaned in and whispered, “Do not fret. The king is an honest and reasonable man.”

Colton blinked at him, jealous of Tal’s calm demeanor. He forced a reassuring smile.

Everyone’s attention snapped to the front when a door opened on the wall behind the platform. A prison guard, wielding a decent dose of Solara, emerged. Colton tensed when behind the guard strode Tarend Gull, scowling at the room at large.

Gull didn’t have the manacled helmet mechanism that withheld the power from him like previously. But a second guard came out behind him. And with both guards wielding their powers into Gull’s back, the back of his head, and behind both his knees, they manually blocked him from his Solara.

A fourth and final man stepped out the door, dressed all in tight black. Under his hood, he wore a white mask of a scowling face, and in his left hand was a simple wooden spear. Just as on Earth, the executioner made for a fearsome figure.

Colton looked back at TJ’s murderer. It wasn’t easy to tell with the all-black eyes, but he was sure Gull stared at him. And that was confirmed when the bastard spit in his direction. It fell short of the seats that were about fifteen feet back.

The two prison guards brought him to his knees with a blow of Solara. His face cringed as he dropped. But he quickly regained his composure and stood back up.

As they sat him in the chair, the army soldier and the VSF woman walked forward and placed themselves on each side wall, between the platform and the seats. Colton watched with a nervous fascination as the prison guards strapped Gull in, head to toe, before moving to stand behind the chair. The executioner stepped forward with the butt end of the spear tapping and resting on the ground.

Bayel Rizar cleared his throat. “Tarend Gull, you have been found guilty of the murder of two Earthling civilians, Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan and Eleanor Fretz. You have been sentenced to death by spearing. You will receive a non-fatal spear to the shoulder, followed by a fatal spear to your heart. Two piercings for the two innocent lives you ended. Does anyone have any last words for this man?”

The cameraman swung his gaze around the room at large. Gull was scowling, almost snarling. He was about to die and still showed no remorse for his actions.

Piece of shit.

Gull’s reaction sparked a fire in Colton. He stood, and when the camera was directed at him, he stared into it. “This execution isn’t just for Mr. and Mrs. Fretz, two of the kindest people I have ever known. It is also for my friend, TJ Mcphee. And it is for all those murdered on Earth that night, be it by Gull, The Heart of the Flame, or any of his soldiers.

“Every single Earthling that died was an innocent person, minding their own business, posing no threat to anyone. And why were they killed? Because of power, so one man could display his capabilities to the worlds at large. Well, I have this power too. And when I wielded on Earth, I used it to defend myself and my friends. Not to harm innocents.”

His eyes bore into the camera. “And I promise everyone, that is exactly how I plan on always using it. I will protect those who cannot protect themselves. I’ll face whatever odds I must to defend the universe from evil like Tarend Gull, The Heart of the Flame, and all those who think along their lines.”

When he finished, the whole room was quiet, everyone staring at him. Their eyes burned holes into his body. He wasn’t sure where that had come from, declaring to have wielded on Earth. You’re not even certain it’s true, you maniac. Running out of juice, he sat.

Gull chuckled.

Though Colton understood it may have been a show for the cameras, Rizar looked thoroughly moved as he praised, “Well said. Does anyone else have any last words for the condemned?” There was a moment’s unanswered silence before he asked, “Tarend Gull, do you have any last words in this life?”

Gull smiled before saying in a venomous tone, “Have fun with your forsaken show while it lasts, fools.” He stared at the camera and shouted, “Vintara’s days, the Throne’s days, are at an end. Praise The Heart of the Flame! Praise the Army of Flame! May they bring the prophet’s wrath down on anyone who stands in their way.”

Rizar appeared disgusted. He glared at the platform and declared, “Tarend Gull, for your crimes, it is time to die. You may now ask for any forgiveness from the prophets and hope their punishment is merciful.” He sat and nodded to the executioner.

In response, the masked man lifted the spear in both hands and made his way in front of the chair. He turned to face Gull, and Colton craned his neck to see around, his curiosity getting the better of that nervous feeling in his stomach.

The executioner spent a moment staring at Gull, one that again made goosebumps crawl up and down Colton’s body. His heart was beating a hundred miles an hour when the man put the spear in his right hand, held it up, and directed it at Gull’s shoulder. The man grabbed the weapon with his left hand as well and moved into a position to strike. He paused another moment, and Colton tensed and waited.

It happened quickly.

The executioner had the spear leveled at Gull’s shoulder, and in the blink of an eye, while wielding forth a tremendous force of Solara, he spun around and threw the weapon at them in the seats.

Colton sensed Rizar’s Solara begin to form, those of the guards between the platform and chairs, and Tal’s. Shields from all four began to appear. But he had never seen the power the executioner displayed, and the man put it all behind the throw. The spear crossed the distance and planted itself into Bayel Rizar’s gut.

Colton jumped to the top of his seat as the bloody spear point protruded out the back of Rizar’s chair directly in front of him. Others around him were moving at once, but for a moment, he couldn’t take his eyes off Rizar’s pinned body, which slowly twitched twice before going still. The Solara he had been wielding vanished out of existence.

Tal pulled him back and put himself between Colton and the platform.

The executioner threw something out into the air in front before turning and wielding a solid mass around the door behind him, blocking it off. He spun and shot another mass across the room, barring access to the door in front. Tarend Gull sat strapped to the chair, disbelief and fascination etched across his face.

The army soldier and VSF woman rushed towards the executioner but slowed when the first object the man had thrown their way, a small black ball hovering in midair, released what looked to be black smoke. The vapor quickly split into two separate clouds. One remained in front of the rushing guards while the other zoomed over everyone’s head and stopped at the room’s exit door.

Terrified and glued to the floor, Colton stared back at the platform. He made out through the smoke, the two prison guards circling the executioner. They each had no weapon, but neither did he. And they were linked. They threw their combined energies at the man and rushed him from both sides. He wielded a shield that made their attack look pathetic, their blast bouncing off it.

The executioner twisted around and behind the guard that had gone at his back. He grabbed the sides of the man’s head and snapped his neck. The dead guard dropped to the floor as the other stared down at him in disbelief. That second guard had just looked up when the executioner wielded a force of black energy, blasting through the energy shield the guard wielded and flinging him against the hard stone wall. Colton heard bones break before he fell limp to the ground.

The soldier and VSF woman pulled their swords free. The king’s defender twirled his spear before facing the smoke at the exit door. Tal hopped the seats, removed the spear from Rizar’s lifeless body, and tossed it to Colton. He joined the king’s defender, yelling, “You four stay together.”

The executioner stood behind the smoke up front, seemingly waiting for something. He undid some of Gull’s straps but took his time at it, his focus mainly on the smoke.

Colton saw why. The clouds were forming into two distinct shapes. Tal and the three guards slowly stepped back, Tal drawing his curved blade.

Both clouds of smoke molded into two giant balls of what looked like black liquid before dropping to a foot off the ground and coalescing into solid masses. Colton jumped when the balls finished transforming, and two massive, humanoid forms stood up. At least eight feet tall, their shirts, vests, and pants were all black. In addition, they had black cloaks that hung the length of their bodies, with huge hoods pulled up, obscuring their faces. They each pulled a long scythe out from behind them.

Colton’s heart froze. They look exactly like Death himself. He’d seen them before and, at the time, had that same thought. A chill swept through his body as he glanced back at the executioner. Is that him?

He panicked. The twin Death monsters had been with The Heart of the Flame during the chaos in Tokyo. Colton had also heard they were the man’s personal bodyguards. So to him, their presence meant only one thing. The executioner was The Heart of the Flame.

He turned to his friends, who had thrown their chairs to the side to come up next to him. With his mind only half focused, he said nervously, “We all need to link.”

But they didn’t. They all became even more distracted when the two twins strode forward, one for the soldier and VSF woman, one for the king’s defender and Tal. All four of them, strangers willing to fight for Colton, held their ground, ready to defend.

The twins brought forth an unimaginable amount of Solara, each holding just as much, if not more, than the executioner. The duos were also strong. The two linked up front were forces to reckon with. And the king’s defender and Tal’s powers were even more significant. But it was nothing to the twins. They each threw what they had at the shielded pairs, which blasted right through the defenses.

It hit so hard that the soldier and woman flew against the walls to each side. The king’s defender and Tal blew backward about five feet onto their backs. Neither twin gave their opponents time to recover.

The soldier and woman were both crouched over, nursing what appeared to be broken arms and ribs. They tried to rise to defend, but with ease, the twin facing them wielded a black laser beam that placed a hole in the army soldier’s head. At the same time, the twin swung his scythe with his other arm and dismembered the woman’s body at the chest.

Colton turned away, ready to puke, only to see the king’s defender lying dead on the ground, a gash underneath his lifeless eyes. Tal barely fended off a swing of the other twin’s scythe before scrambling back towards their group. Once he reached them, he put a reassuring hand on Colton’s shoulder, but Colton sensed his fear.

The twins, on both sides of them, inspected those they had killed before looking up at the platform. His eyes followed to see the executioner release the last strap on Gull’s chair. Once finished, Gull jumped up with a ferocious grin on his face. But the executioner instantly pushed him back in his seat and ordered, “Do not move.” The tone of the man’s voice made Gull listen.

Colton sensed wielding on the outside of each door to the room, most likely more prison guards trying to get in. But nothing was getting through the Solara masses blocking them, nor through the Solara-infused stone walls of the room itself. And his hope that someone would break through only diminished when the executioner and twin at the back both attached another object to the doors, resulting in a massive force of Solara reinforcing even more so against them.

The executioner hopped off the platform and glided towards the seats. He pointed at the cameraman that Colton had forgotten about, huddled in the far back corner. “Film the rest of this,” he said in a calm voice, “and you will leave with your life.”

The cameraman looked at him in terrified shock for a moment before he nodded and manually lifted his camera to his shoulder.

Tal backed them up against the left-hand wall so the three enemies could only come at them from the front. Colton looked down at the spear in his hand. It felt foreign and uncomfortable. He handed it to Tommy, whose spear-axe was somewhat similar; it would be more useful in his hands. Tommy glanced at him and took it, understanding.

Colton looked up at a sweating Tal and asked with a shaky voice, “Do we link?”

Tal didn’t take his eyes off the enemy. “Not yet. Wait to see what they do.”

He praised Tal’s calmness. His heart felt like it would explode, and he thought he might be sick. But Tal, even though he had a worried expression, still seemed focused.

The executioner wielded to disperse the few chairs from around the five of them. As he strode forward, the scowling face that was his mask seemed to stare at them in mockery. The twins remained behind him as he walked up and stopped a few feet from Tal. He lowered his hood and took off the mask.

Colton froze. It wasn’t The Heart of the Flame. From seeing Quelper’s video, he knew it was Willick’s brother—Darys Runebar. It could have been a younger Willick if not for the scar and black eyes.

Darys’ voice was impassive when he said, “Tal, my old friend, it is good to see you again.”

Tal motioned for them to hold, but took a step forward. Colton noticed blood matting his blond hair.

Tal gritted his teeth. “It is a shame of mine to have ever named a man such as you, friend. You betrayed your planet. You, my friend, betrayed your family.”

Darys shook his head, his scar leaving the impression of an amused and crooked smile on his face. “Always Willick’s most faithful. You are exactly like him. Your faith in the Throne is sickening. It disgusts me.”

Colton braced for him to attack, scared to death that he would. He turned to his friends and whispered, “Link.” They did, control passing over to him.

Tal, Darys, and the twins all paused for a moment, glancing at the four and their link. They shifted back to one another as if it were nothing, leaving Colton feeling horribly unconfident.

Darys still didn’t have a weapon, but he wielded his Solara forth when he continued, “You were once my friend and a decent man. Fooled and controlled by the Throne, but still a good man. For that reason, I will offer you this once. Go home to your family. Kiss your children again. Do not die for this charade.”

Tal dropped his arms and stared at the ground. “I would love nothing more than to kiss my little ones right now.” His head rose, and he brought his curved blade into a fighting position. “But you are the one confused, Darys. Even if they were random Earthlings, I would not let you take the young men, torture and kill them. I could never walk away from here knowing I did not give everything I had to prevent that from happening.”

Darys nodded, seemingly disappointed. “I figured as much.”

Tal leaned in towards him, his voice almost taking that of a pleading tone. “He truly did it, Darys. He wielded on Earth. Your brother would not stand for it if it were a lie. Think of what that might mean. If you do this, you will now possibly add the betrayal of the prophets to your crimes.”

For the briefest moment, Darys looked torn, his face scrunching, making the scar appear even more ghastly. But he shook his head and said, “No matter the truth, I made my choice long ago.”

Tal’s shoulders dropped. He turned to Colton and stated in confidence, “Do not give in, do not give up. You are The Son of the Prophets. They will guide you through this.”

Colton understood what the body language and words meant. Persuasion had been his only hope. He yelled, “Tal, no!”

But Tal raised his blade and rushed forward.

Darys jumped back, throwing up an energy shield. He said to the twins, “You know the orders. Our Lord wants them alive. Leave my brother’s man to me.”

Colton threw up a linked shield as the twins came on, their scythes hanging around their backs. He was terrified, remembering back to a time when he had seen them on television and hoped he never would in person.

Past the twins, he could make out Tal and Darys engaging one another. Energy shields up, they flashed in a dance of thrusts and jabs. Tal his knife, Darys his fists.

A hand grabbed Colton’s shoulder. “Come on, Colt!” Ace sounded frantic. “You’ve done more powerful shields than this against me.”

Colton cursed. “I don’t know what’s going on. I can’t focus or put anything else into it.”

Tommy stepped to his side and asked, “Were you calm when you wielded?”

He froze. No, I’m terrified!

Tommy read the answer from his face. “Give me control, hurry.”

It was a struggle. Colton hadn’t realized that the fear had such a grip on him. But he sensed Tommy’s energy and submitted control to his friend’s consciousness. Tommy put another shield around them, more powerful than the one Colton had wielded. And it was just in time as the twins closed in.

Tommy’s energy shield, which was mostly his brown color overpowering that of the others, was harder to see through. But Colton still made out Tal and Darys fighting across the room. Tal swung with his knife. Darys dodged past and tried shooting a blast of energy into his face. An energy shield of Tal’s appeared and blocked the attack before dissipating. He attempted more blows with his knife.

Now directly outside of Tommy’s shield, the twins wielded and pounded on it. Colton felt the strain through the link, unbelieving of the first blow. Tommy squeezed his eyes shut, and the spear fell from his hands. By the third blow, not even understanding how Tommy hadn’t already given in, Colton was panicking.

We have to do something. They’ll burn him out.

He began to move, but Morris held him back. Morris picked up the spear and turned towards Ace to ask, “You with me, buddy?”

Ace looked like the only thing he wanted to do was run. He glanced around, seemingly for an escape, before yelling, “Shit!” He closed his eyes and nodded. “All right. Let’s do this.”

Colton again stepped forward. “I’m coming—”

Morris pushed him back. “No! You’re who they want. Stay with Tommy.”

With that, he and Ace dashed out from behind Tommy’s shield, which only worked as a one-way barrier. Ace tried shouldering the twin to the right, and Morris attempted to run the other through with the spear. But the quickness of the twins was inhuman. While still wielding pressure on the shield, the left one sidestepped and elbowed Morris’ spear, breaking it in half before backhanding him across the head. The twin on the right punched Ace in the gut before his shoulder could hit and kicked him so hard he flew up against the wall. They both fell unmoving.

Colton felt their powers disappear from the link. The shield shrunk to where he had to drop down. Tommy’s eyes shot open.

The pain and pressure of it weighed down on even him, and that was secondhand after it passed and weakened through Tommy. He couldn’t imagine what his friend was going through. It had to end. “Tommy, let go. This isn’t a combat-sim. You’ll kill yourself.”

Tommy shook his head, unwilling to give in.

Colton turned to their last hope.

Tal was on the brink. His arm dangled at an unnatural angle, his shoulders hunched, and blood leaked from his mouth. Darys looked no worse than when they had begun.

“I am sorry, my old friend,” Darys said.

Colton could tell Tal was tapped out of his Solara.

Darys rushed forward, and Tal gave himself his only chance. At the last minute, he dodged to the left and tried to bury his knife in Darys’ throat. It would have worked had Darys less foresight or strength in the power.

Darys must have wielded shields only when needed. Tal’s knife bounced off a small black circle that formed inches from his neck, a tiny ripple of black lines spreading in the air when it did. And with one hand, he grabbed Tal by the throat and slammed him to the ground. With his other hand, he aimed a punch at Tal’s chest, putting a considerable force of Solara behind it. Like a hammer, his fist crashed into Tal’s sternum, crushing it.

Tal’s back arched, a final breath wheezed through his lips, and he dropped silent and motionless. Darys stood up and stared down at him in pity.

Colton found himself frozen, horror flooding through his every vein. He only snapped out of it when he saw the shock on Darys’ face as he turned in their direction and screamed, “You will kill them!”

Colton looked up at the twins. Unable to make out anything under their hoods, he could still tell they didn’t hear Darys. They were intent on breaking Tommy’s shield.

He thought back to Darys’ earlier words. They want us alive.

Tommy’s eyes had rolled into the back of his head. Colton needed to do something, or he would die.

“Sorry, brother,” he apologized before punching his best friend in the face. It released the shield and link and sent Tommy sprawling out unconscious.

Colton wielded and sensed the energy still in his friend, there but dormant. He’s alive.

He sighed.

Time to trust these prophets.

Something hit him hard in the back of the head.

All went dark.

61

Colton came to with a throbbing ache in both his head and left shoulder. His arms and legs were bound, arms behind his back, and a gag had been stuffed in his mouth. His legs lay across something. When he opened his eyes to see what, the light made his piercing head even worse.

When he could finally hold them open for an extended moment, he rolled over to get a better view of their situation and saw that it was Tommy’s torso which his legs draped across. His friend was still unconscious. And Ace and Morris were piled together a couple feet from them, both beginning to stir. He and his friends had all been dumped onto the ground in a pile on top of one another. That explained the pain in his shoulder.

He wiggled off of Tommy and tried better inspecting his friend. Besides being extremely pale, there were no clear marks, bruises, or any other signs of injury. And more importantly, he was alive. His stomach slowly moved up and down. Colton closed his eyes in relief and whispered through the gag, “Hang in there, brother.”

The room was plain with concrete ground and walls. The only other thing in it were brown wooden crates with a green circle painted on them. They were stacked up randomly throughout.

His attention was diverted when an unseen door opened, and indistinct voices became audible from behind a stack of crates in front of him. It only stayed open momentarily, the voices cutting off when it closed. From behind the stack walked the two Death twins. Fear shot through him, and he reached out for his Solara.

He froze. Nothing was there. They were being blocked. The notion left a gut-wrenching pain in his stomach. Heart racing, he tried to think the best he could. The Heart of the Flame wants us alive. Why?

Ace and Morris sat up. Ace stared at the twins with wide eyes while Morris struggled mightily against his bonds.

The twins stood motionless with arms crossed and scythes resting on their backs. They faced Colton and his friends, and he couldn’t believe how massive they were. At least eight feet tall and built like bears, he had to wonder whether they were human. The only visible skin or body parts were their giant pale hands, which looked human enough.

But even in the decently lit room, their faces remained hidden deep inside the hoods pulled over their heads. Gazing into that black abyss was the worst part for him. He had a big imagination, and at that moment, it produced terrible images of what could be staring back behind those shadows. He had to look away.

The door opened again, and the voices from outside the room became audible within. Not being able to forget it, he recognized Tarend Gull’s wheezy voice at once. “My Lord Heart, I again must thank you for coming to my aid and rescuing me from the Throne’s tyrannical grip. To die in such a fashion would have been the ultimate horror. You truly are as great a man as they say, coming here personally to save one of your faithful servants.”

The person Gull had been addressing chuckled in response, and when he came walking into view, Colton tensed. The Heart of the Flame wasn’t a tall man. In fact, he was relatively short. His dark reddish hair was combed straight back. He had an orange vest buttoned over a yellow shirt and a red cape around his shoulders that hung down his back to his thighs. Black pants and boots covered his legs and feet. Between the colors of his upper body all contrasting with his black lower half, the man looked like he was aflame.

What stood out the most, though, were his eyes. Colton figured that at first sight, they were what would unnerve people. They looked like two black holes cutting through the flame he appeared to be. And Colton couldn’t tell if it was just because of all the bright colors around or if orange gleams were really glowing within them, where his pupils should be.

He looked the definition of evil. Like a demon, Colton thought. And oddly enough, the sight of the man sent a calmness cascading through him, and his fear receded.

When The Heart locked his eyes onto and studied him, Colton maintained a level gaze back. A brief smile passed across the man’s lips before he turned to Gull and, in a subdued voice, asked, “Is this the Earthling that bested you, Tarend?”

Gull looked askance. “My Lord Heart—”

“Your Lord Son,” The Heart corrected.

Gull bowed. “Of course. My Lord Son, he did not best me. Willick Runebar showed up. I am sure he had something to—”

The Heart cut him off, sounding impatient. “Is this or is this not the Earthling you came into conflict with the night the Throne took you prisoner?”

Gull frowned at Colton, answering, “It is, my lord.”

The Heart appeared thoughtful. “Now explain again what happened that night. Leave nothing out.”

Gull jumped into explaining his point of view up until he killed TJ. Then he became hesitant. “I struck down the one Forsaken and moved to finish this one here. He lay in shock on the ground. I walked over and raised my weapon to deliver the blow. I brought my axe down on him and...” Gull paused, sneaking a glance Colton’s way.

“And?” The Heart encouraged. “Tell it straight, do not lie to me.”

Gull, looking scared, nodded. “And my axe slammed to a stop, in the middle of the air, seemingly from nothing. I was unmoving, trying to figure out what in the prophet’s wrath had happened, when another unseen force hit me, throwing me into the air and knocking me unconscious against something. When I awoke, I was in Earthling custody.”

The Heart stared at the ground, and Colton figured he contemplated everything Gull had said. Looking back up, he had a confused expression as he asked, “Tarend, I thought you told me that the whole thing was a lie. Do you, or do you not believe the young Earthling wielded that night?”

Gull appeared incredulous. “My Lord Son, how could he? He is a Forsaken. It must have been Runebar. He somehow—”

The Heart sounded irritated when he cut Gull off again. “He somehow what? Somehow wielded?”

Sweat formed on Gull’s brow. Everyone in the room sensed the direction the conversation was headed. “Possibly, my lord. Or perhaps he played some trick? Lord Son, you cannot honestly think the Forsaken wielded?”

“It sounds to me that someone did, Tarend!” The Heart bellowed, all pretense of calmness gone. “And I certainly hope it was not Willick Runebar. Because then we might have a real problem.”

Gull cringed and took a step back.

“But do not worry,” The Heart continued, suddenly relaxed as if he had not just yelled. “If Willick Runebar wielded on Earth, I would know. So alas, he has not.”

Gull sighed. “Yes, my Lord Son. Of course.”

“But, from your story, I am forced to consider the possibility that someone did wield on Earth that night. And Darys tells me that if his brother is going along with the whole plot, he must believe it to be true. Now, even the great Willick Runebar can be mistaken. But with what you are telling me, if he witnessed this, I can see why he thinks as he does.

“And considering that someone might have wielded, knowing it was not Willick, that only leaves a few other options. Those being the four young men here, and if I am not mistaken, the one still located on the forsaken planet.”

Anger bubbled through Colton. The way The Heart implied about Scotty, it came off like he didn’t just know Scotty was on Earth; he knew exactly where.

Gull nodded emphatically. “If you say so, my Lord Son, then it must be true.”

“Maybe not true, but we are forced to consider it. With that being said, thank you, Tarend. The information you supplied was indeed helpful. That is all I needed from you.”

Gull looked relieved and stated, “Of course, Lord Son.” A confused expression passed across his face. “Am I being dismissed?”

The Heart chuckled. “Dismissed? In a way, I suppose.”

Being blocked from the power, Colton couldn’t see it, but he swore he felt it when The Heart of the Flame wielded his Solara forth. The air seemed to shimmer around him, and it had an effect, shaking the stacked crates and making the room seem darker.

Gull took another step back before his eyes opened wide, and his body stiffened as straight and rigid as a board. Colton could tell he struggled to breathe. He wheezed, “My Lord Son, what—”

The Heart held a sneer on his face. “Tarend Gull, I did not have you rescued because you were one of my soldiers too stupid to evade capture. I did so because I would not sit idly by and watch the Throne kill one of my own that had gone against my orders. A man who undermines my authority does not die by the power of the old king. He will die by my power, in my way.”

Colton turned just in time to see the look of absolute horror on Gull’s face before his entire body, head to toe, lit up in flame. His shriek pierced the room’s walls for only a second before a dark haze formed around him, and the sound cut off. Colton stared wide-eyed as Gull’s body, rigid and frozen in place, burned. He clearly could move nothing but his head as it tossed every which way, his mouth open in an unheard scream.

The Heart watched with a slight smile, hands locked behind his back, unmoving. He stayed like that for at least a minute until Darys Runebar entered the room.

Darys spent a moment staring at the burning Gull with a blank expression before he turned to The Heart and said, “Lord Son, they are close. We should go.”

The Heart snapped out of his daze and looked towards Darys. “Yes. The meetings here were important today, but we have lingered too long. Ready the ship.”

Darys nodded and walked out.

Gull still burned, and to Colton’s horror, he was still alive. His body was blackened and scorched, and while his head no longer moved as frantically, it slowly bobbed from one side to the other.

The Heart made a sound of frustration, and around him, a massive flame appeared, shaped like an overlarge sword. It whipped back and forth multiple times through Gull’s body. Once finished, the sword, haze, and flames disappeared, and Gull’s remains fell to pieces on the floor. The Heart clenched a fist, and the remains again set on fire before quickly burning out and leaving nothing but a black scorch mark on the ground.

That was how TJ’s murderer died. And it horrified Colton.

The Heart directed his gaze back to Colton and the others, and the bonds on their wrists and feet fell away. “Do nothing rash,” he warned. “I want to be civil with you, but if need be, I can have you back in those bonds in a moment.”

Colton looked at the scorch mark, which was all that remained of Gull, and realized how true that probably was. He glanced at the others, staring wide-eyed back at him before he turned and nodded to The Heart.

The Heart smiled and, in a cheerful tone, said, “Good. Now follow me.”

Colton, Ace, and Morris came together to help Tommy up. He opened his bloodshot eyes when they lifted him and fell to his knees. Colton and Morris brought him to his feet, and with an arm around each of their shoulders, they held him up as they walked. The twins followed behind.

Colton swung them wide around the black spot where Gull had died and followed Ace out a doorway on the other side of the crates. They emerged into what appeared to be a hangar. There were multiple doors in the open space, and he tried thinking of a means to escape. But the twins walked right on their heels, and Tommy couldn’t run, so making a dash would be worthless.

The Heart strolled towards a craft, with its back hatch opening into a cargo area that took up most of the small vessel. The inside was empty.

Colton and the others had no choice but to follow The Heart into the cargo bay. Once on, the hatch immediately started to close, and he began panicking. They’re taking off! If they do, that’s it. But being blocked from Solara, gagged, and holding up a limp Tommy, there was nothing they could do. The hatch closed with a thud, followed by a lock, and he closed his eyes in defeat.

The Heart spun to them and grinned. “Let us talk.” He waved his hand, and the gags flew out of all four of their mouths. Ace opened wide to scream, but The Heart caught it and must have wielded a solid block of air into his throat and nose. Ace’s eyes bulged, and his face turned red.

“None of that,” The Heart growled. “You will do nothing but give us a headache. There is no one around to hear you. And we will be in the air momentarily, anyway.” He waved at Ace again, releasing the block, and asked, “Understood, Forsaken?”

Ace fell, gasping on his knees. He wheezed out, “Yeah, okay.”

Colton looked at his friend coughing and formed a resolve. I will get us out of this. Even if we have to escape from Quinnero itself, we’ll do it. He flexed his cramped jaw and turned back to The Heart with a scowl.

The Heart didn’t seem to notice as he directed his gaze at Colton. “Tell me, Earthling, did you wield on your forsaken planet?”

Colton thought a moment. How do I play this? He can’t know much about me, no matter what he’s heard. He has to be wondering whether I am willing or am a puppet. If I say no, he might think I’m weak and discard me as such and kill us. If I say yes, he’ll probably see me as a threat and kill us anyway.

The Heart looked impatient, so Colton tried to avoid a straightforward response. “It seems you’ve already decided on that answer.”

The Heart frowned. “It worries me that the king and Runebar truly put their faith in this. But I have made them desperate. They might believe anything to quell their fears. Although, by Gull’s story confirming everything I have heard, it sounds possible.”

Colton didn’t have time for another thought. One second The Heart was talking to him, and the next, Tommy flew out of his grasp, writhing in what looked to be extreme pain on the ship’s floor. Simultaneously the craft began moving, and The Heart shouted, “Now answer my question, Forsaken! After becoming accustomed to the power, is it your belief you wielded that night? Do not lie, for I will know, and your friend will reap the penalty.”

Horrified at Tommy’s agony and not daring to call The Heart’s bluff, Colton yelled, “Yes!”

Tommy stopped moving.

The Heart stepped closer and asked, “What was that?”

“Yes, I am as sure as I can be. I wielded on Earth that night.” Colton wanted to lash out, but he kept his expression as blank as possible.

The Heart studied him intently. “How can you be sure it was you? Could it not have been one of your friends?”

Tommy groaned but was able to get on his knees. Colton bent down to help him as he answered, “I guess I can’t be one hundred percent positive until I go back there. But the three of my friends here were preoccupied with holding Gull’s copilot off. As for the other two, TJ was wounded and dying, and Scotty lay on the ground with his face smashed in. I was the only one focused on Gull. In my gut, I think I’m the one who wielded.”

Before he had finished, The Heart was shaking his head. “This is...unexpected. None of the prophecies have mentioned this. How should I proceed from here?”

Colton didn’t answer. He realized the man had begun talking to himself.

“Clearly, I must bring them to the forsaken planet and figure out the truth, but what then?”

The Heart looked up, and after a pause, Colton asked the same question. “What then?”

“That is no worry of yours,” The Heart sneered. “You simply do as I say, and there will be no need for any unwanted messes. Do not, and it will not be hard for me to find your families and visit them when we get to your forsaken home.”

Colton was furious inside but kept his outside composure collected. He had learned that The Heart didn’t like the unexpected. His mood had repeatedly gone from calm to explosive in a heartbeat. Colton hoped that would be something to use against him.

He’s the reason TJ’s dead. His men killed Bayel Rizar and Tal at his orders. He has us here at his mercy and just threatened my family. Fuck that!

He couldn’t say why he had been so fearful in the prison and so calm at the moment. The only thing he came up with was that he hated The Heart. Not just the evil man he was but everything he and his army stood for. So much so it gave him the focus he needed to do whatever he could against the man.

Colton felt the ship rise, and The Heart motioned to the twins behind them. The two walked forward, and the man spoke low so only they could hear. They nodded and exited the door behind The Heart, leading to the front of the craft. A moment later, something was different to Colton.

When he looked at The Heart, sensed and started to see the immense black power radiating off of the man, he understood what had happened. He wasn’t sure if it was from the disbelief at The Heart’s strength or the realization he had just gotten control of his Solara back, but his calmness disappeared, and utter shock took over.

“Before you form any irrational ideas of attack or escape,” The Heart said, “I am aware you control your power.”

Tommy, Ace, and Morris’s eyes opened wide and focused on him.

The Heart continued, “I asked the twins to do it. I would like you to wield, safe and to yourself. I want to measure your strength. Be forewarned, you try anything I dislike, and by the prophets, you will regret it.”

Colton looked to the others. They shook their heads.

“They are still blocked,” The Heart said. “Now, pull the power into yourself, all you can.”

Colton was disappointed they weren’t unblocked, but perhaps he had been given an opportunity. Not dwelling on his hatred for The Heart or the worry for his friends, he closed his eyes and tried to keep his mind calm and void of emotion. Wielding into himself, the power roared through him. When his state of mind was no different, he knew he had succeeded. He opened his eyes and was rewarded with The Heart’s angry glare.

Colton stared straight back. Wondering if more of my kind are like me? Regretting you ever attacked our planet, you son of a bitch?

Both their gazes strayed away when the ship rocked to the right. Colton stumbled into Tommy, who fell over.

Darys’ voice sounded throughout the bay. “Lord Son, they have located us.”

“How is that possible?” The Heart roared.

Darys, sounding more calm than The Heart, replied, “I do not know. But two razors just deployed to cut us off.”

The Heart stared again at Colton. He asked in the same tone, “What will they do?”

“They will not shoot us down,” Darys answered. “Even if they do not know the Earthlings are aboard, they will not risk the chance with the possibility. But the razors could follow us into space, engage and disable our systems. If they did that, they would have all the time they needed to ready soldiers to board and take the ship.”

The Heart scowled. “I would kill all who tried.”

“I do not doubt it, my lord, but is it worth it?”

Frustrated, The Heart spat, “No, it is not. What are you thinking?”

“I can detach the cargo bay from the craft. It will give us less weight and more speed and agility. With that, I can maneuver out of here.”

Colton took in the words while his mind deliberated. Do I strike? No, we wouldn’t know how to fly the ship, and he’s not taking his eyes off of me, anyway.

The Heart considered for a moment. His voice was subdued when he asked, “There is no room for our forsaken friends, is there?”

That got Colton’s attention.

Darys didn’t sound happy or sad; he was completely neutral in answering, “No, Lord Son. The twins are cramping it up enough. I need to be able to move around the controls.”

It was tough to tell, but Colton felt confident that the orange gleams in The Heart’s eyes stared directly into his own pupils as the man mumbled, “A pity.”

The Heart’s face showed no sign, but Colton anticipated what was coming. Everything he had done surprised the man. As desperately as the bastard wanted to know the truth, he wasn’t the type of person to risk more surprises throwing him off guard in the future. So at the same time as The Heart lashed out with his power, Colton threw up the strongest energy shield to date, protecting himself and his friends.

The force that hit it was outstanding. His vision turned white, feeling as if his entire body had been blown to dust. He was shocked when he came to and found himself still standing, bent protectively over his buddies.

With a growl, The Heart put more behind his attack. He lashed out with a second, even stronger force of energy.

Colton tensed for it, and when it landed, somehow, his shield held firm. His ribs, on the other hand, did not. He felt at least a couple break from the exertion that the force weighed on him, and he fell to a knee.

He barely distinguished the yell from the front, “My lord, they are closing on us. We need to detach now.”

With the sneer on his face, Colton swore The Heart of the Flame was a demon, not a man. He pulled a power like that of the sun into him. It pulsated in orange and red, filling the ship aglow. Colton imagined that from the outside, it must have radiated in a sphere, feet around the entire craft. This is why they call him The Heart of the Flame, he thought.

The force was released, and Colton’s skin burned. It scorched and sizzled, and like Tarend Gull, he figured his body was turning black and melting. It seemed like hours of torture and agony. He was broken on the inside and melting like wax on the outside. And when he was just about to give up on life, a vision appeared in his head.

He saw TJ lying in his coffin, dressed in a suit and tie, his body getting the last light it ever would. Maybe the vision had come from his subconscious, possibly from God, perhaps from the prophets, or it was a message from TJ himself. All he knew for sure was that it told him one thing: he couldn’t die just yet. He had made a promise to his friend. He said he would protect TJ’s loved ones. I can’t do that if I’m dead. And as if the thought had power, the force vanished.

He was on his knees. He opened puffy eyes and saw his burnt hands. His skin wasn’t black, but it was red like The Heart’s hair, blistered in spots. When he looked up, he smiled. Somehow, someway, his shield held. Steam issued off of it, and the ship’s metal walls had a reddish, heated glow. He glanced down at his friends. They also had minor burns, but he didn’t think they were any worse than him.

“Lord Son,” Darys relayed, “they are on us. Forget the Forsaken. They will not survive the fall. We must detach now.”

The Heart remained frozen, scowling at Colton.

Under it all, though, Colton saw a hint of shock there. He coughed out a laugh and croaked in a strained voice, “I don’t see what all the hype’s about with you.”

The Heart shook his head. “So be it. The four of you can fall to your deaths.” He strode to the door. Before stepping through, he faced back and addressed Colton personally. “No matter how you view yourself, you are still nothing more than a Forsaken fool.” He walked into the doorway, and from the side, the door hissed shut behind him.

The second it closed, the bay became awash in a red glow from a light on the ceiling. After a moment, a more prominent hissing sound protruded from the front of the bay itself. A solid piece of metal slid over and covered the whole front wall and doorway, separating the cargo bay from the cabin. There was another pause, followed by a loud snap, and the bay fell into free fall.

Colton let the shield go and collapsed straight to the floor. He slid to the back of the bay as it angled down in the fall.

Over the sound of rushing air, one of his friends yelled, “I can feel it, my Solara’s back.”

Another, Morris, asked, “What do we do? We’re falling.”

The first voice again, Ace, sounded terrified. “Is Colton alive?”

Tommy was right by his ear. “Now it’s your turn to hang in there, brother.” In a higher voice, he yelled, “He’s alive! What we’ll do is link up. I’ll control it, making the most compact energy shield I can, lessening the impact of our crash as much as possible.”

“Tommy,” Ace responded, “you couldn’t even stand five minutes ago. Give it to me. I’ll do it.”

“I don’t know. It will be extreme pressure on you.”

Ace still sounded scared but replied, “Just do it. You’re too weak right now, and I’m the next strongest. We don’t have time to argue.”

Colton weaved in and out of consciousness. There either wasn’t a response, or he had missed it.

Tommy again spoke. “Okay, we’ve talked about this. All three of us knew it might come. Colton comes first and foremost.”

What? No!

He again blacked out for a moment. When he came back, he tried protesting, but it came out a low muffle that they didn’t hear.

“Put the shield around us, Ace, and we put ourselves around Colton. We’ll all make it out of this, but he gets the best shot. Agreed?”

Without hesitation, they did. It was the profound companionship Colton felt that kept him conscious. His friends were risking their own lives to save him. There was no greater form of respect, loyalty, friendship, or brotherhood. He didn’t ask for it nor want it, but it was still emotionally moving, enough to keep him from the dark abyss snatching at him.

He couldn’t move, but he heard the rushing air and felt the little bay they were in tail-spinning down. Death this time was the end. He wasn’t in a simulation. If he didn’t make it through the fall, he wouldn’t wake up back in the dome.

It seemed to go on forever. No one said a word, or Colton couldn’t hear any over the loud sound of their fall. The darkness snatched at him, but he tried to fight it. He needed to make sure his friends ended up okay.

There was nothing but rushing air.

And then darkness.

Air.

Darkness.

He snapped out of it when a loud crunching sound echoed in his ears. His eyes were closed, not having the energy to hold them open. He felt a weird movement, heard a grunt, and something hard smacked into him. Only then did he finally submit to the abyss. All forms of sense, feel, and thought fled his body.

62

On the outskirts of Vintara City, seven-year-old Veda sat in her father’s bedroom, trying her hardest to wield the blue light she had produced forth that morning. She was not supposed to wield outside of school. But her father was busy in the other room, and the light she made appear earlier that day had been too amazing to not bring about again.

Though try as she might, she could not get that warm fuzzy feeling deep in her bones. Nor did any warm air glow behind her eyelids. And most importantly, no blue light sparkled on her fingertips. She had just given up with a frown when her father walked in.

In a hurry, he waved a hand at the far wall, and a hologram of the news appeared. He looked back, saw Veda’s face, and asked, “What is wrong, Daughter?”

She knew she could not tell him the truth. He would scold her. But she did not want to lie either; the prophets frowned on liars. So she glanced at the ground and mumbled, “My lessons are hard.”

Her father, no longer paying attention, waved a hand and responded, “Yes, yes, good.”

Veda sighed in relief. But curious at what had snatched her father’s attention, she began watching the newscast.

A woman with short dark hair sat behind a desk and said, “Let us put it all into perspective. Three days ago, we had Tarend Gull’s execution. We all know what happened there. Three high-ranking members of the Quinnero hierarchy snuck their way into the prison and murdered High-Seat Bayel Rizar, several guards, and one of Willick Runebar’s men.

“After this transpired, the infamous Darys Runebar, one of the assailants, took captive the young man rumored to have wielded on Earth. I am sure most of us have seen the footage by now, but if not, we will play it for you. Be forewarned, this video is not recommended for children.”

Veda’s father turned to her. “Out, Veda. Go play elsewhere.”

She left the room, but only for a moment. She waited for her father to focus again on the newscast before tiptoeing back inside. The woman with dark hair was gone. Now on the hologram, two gigantic figures stood over four much smaller people. The four huddled against a wall behind something brown. Veda did not like the large figures. They scared her.

Suddenly two of the smaller men dashed out. Veda hoped for their escape as she could tell they were in trouble. But she thought they were not very smart when instead of running around, they ran straight into the larger ones, who hit them and knocked them down, unmoving.

Veda readied herself, expecting the other two huddled ones to do something. She hoped they had better luck. One was on his knees with his head down. The other looked at his companion before becoming distracted by something unseen on the other side of the room. The scene swung to a man with a scary-looking scar on his face as he yelled, “You will kill them,” before the view shifted back.

The two giant figures now leaned in on the huddled ones. Veda wondered what they would do when one of the small men punched his companion in the face, and the brown thing disappeared. Right after, one of the large figures stepped up with his weapon and knocked it against the back of the puncher’s head, who fell down unmoving.

That was not smart either, Veda thought.

The screen switched to a close-up of the scarred man holding up an unconscious person by the scruff of the neck. He looked into the camera and said, “This is your Throne’s savior. See how easily he was defeated.” He pushed the person closer to the screen. “The boy is nothing but a Forsaken. Do not let the king and his games fool you any longer. This is your last chance. Join The Heart of the Flame or remain his enemy and the enemy of the prophets.”

The video transitioned back to the woman. “As can be imagined, this caused quite an uproar. Not only did The Heart of the Flame officially declare war on the Throne when his servants murdered high-seat Rizar. But on top of it, the young Earthling, Colton Samson, the one the Throne has unofficially asked the public to put their trust in, was kidnapped by those same servants.

“Life darkened. A few riots broke out, and people fled the planet. For a brief moment, some of us worried the Throne might crumble. But then the news of the wreckage came out.” The woman waved to the screen, and a new video appeared.

There was some sort of crash. Pieces of whatever the craft had been lay scattered all around, most burning on fire. Emergency personnel rummaged over the scene, picking through the wreckage. Suddenly, a man began rapidly motioning others over with his hands from the largest piece left of the ship.

The video fast-forwarded, and people were being pulled from the smoldering metal. Veda saw the first; his body, bruised, bloodied, and burnt, slowly hovered to an emergency vehicle. Another had begun to be pulled out right before the video transitioned again.

The newscaster appeared. “Those rescued from the wreckage were confirmed to be the four Earthlings that Darys Runebar kidnapped. At that point, we were told nothing except that they were alive and in critical condition. Not long after, it was revealed that Darys Runebar and the mysterious twins of The Heart’s got away. They detached the cargo bay of the vessel they hijacked, leaving the Earthlings inside to presumably fall to their deaths. This did not end the panic, but it quieted it.

“We had these Earthlings. People who we have been unsure what to think about them. One, in particular, is rumored to be The Son of the Prophets. No matter how we may have originally perceived them, I think we all felt ashamed when the footage of that wreckage aired. These young men came here to help us, and our leaders allowed them to be captured by the most dangerous men in the universe. Men who purposefully left them in that bay and tried sending them falling thousands of feet to their deaths. Who of us can honestly say they did not pause to reflect after that?”

The woman leaned forward. “And now this new footage comes in. The Throne declares they have located the security link built into all cargo vessels. After the break, we will have it.” The newscast went to a promotion.

“Father?” Veda blurted, causing the man to jump.

He held his chest when he asked, “What are you doing back in here?”

She ignored the question. She did not understand something, and it bothered her. “Did you not say The Heart of the Flame was the evil dark-eyed man that wielded on Earth?”

Her father looked back at the hologram and answered, “Yes, Veda.”

“And did you not say the Earthling everyone is talking about may have wielded on Earth, but Earthlings are weak?”

He glanced back at her. “Yes, I suppose I did.”

“Well, the person that wields on Earth is supposed to be The Son of the Prophets, right?”

“Of course, Daughter.”

Veda frowned. “But you always told me The Son of the Prophets would be a great man, honorable and good, and he would be the strongest wielder anyone would ever see.”

Her father looked worried, assuring her, “He will, Veda.”

She did not get it. “But if The Son of the Prophets is supposed to wield on Earth and an evil man and a weak man wielded...I am confused, Father.”

Her father looked sad, responding, “Me too, my girl.”

The newscaster came back on. “Here it is. The footage from inside of the cargo bay where took place a confrontation between Colton Samson and The Heart of the Flame.”

A third video appeared with no sound to it. The evil dark-eyed man Veda had just mentioned stood facing the four younger people from the first video. She felt bad for them. They were always surrounded by scary men. And to make her feel worse, the evil man lashed out at them with Solara. Veda worried he had hurt them, but then she saw the green dome around the four young ones, seemingly protecting them. They huddled under it.

Her father made a sound of astonishment.

She made out a scary look on the evil man’s face before he took both arms and pushed them forward. She was unsure what he did, but the green dome wavered, and one of the young men in the middle dropped to a knee.

Veda’s father stepped closer to the wall the hologram played on and craned his head up to it.

After a moment, the evil man took a step back, and a large amount of power grew around him. Veda thought of the blue light she had produced forth earlier that day. The evil man’s was like that, but times a million. He held it around himself for a second before sending it all at the younger ones. The power, like fire, twirled around them, lashing at every inch of the green dome. It continued for at least a minute before the power vanished. When it did, the dome and the four huddled young men remained.

Veda’s father dropped to his knees. “That is not possible,” he declared in awe.

There was no sound, but the evil man spoke to the four and left the room. The door slid shut behind him before a larger one closed over the entire wall.

The four remaining were all jolted by something. The green dome vanished, and the man on one knee fell to the floor as they all slid down to the back of the craft. The others spent seconds talking amongst themselves before huddling around the fallen one. They produced a different grayish-colored dome around them.

For another minute, Veda was unsure what was happening. The video shook, but the people remained huddled. She jumped when it seemed the other wall flew to meet where the camera was, and the screen turned black.

“By the prophets,” her father yelled.

Veda hoped the young men were all right.

The woman came back on. “It has been confirmed that The Heart of the Flame was aboard the vessel. And as you all saw, he personally confronted the four Earthlings, one in particular.

“Some still cannot understand. Why the sudden change in mindset? What is all this cheering and praising of this Earthling, Colton Samson, when we questioned all we had known about him three days ago? Ladies and gentlemen, if you do not comprehend it, watch that video again.

“This Earthling, the one rumored to be The Son of the Prophets, he has wielded less than a year and has already done what some of the mightiest wielders in our time sadly could not. He has had a one-on-one battle of wills with The Heart of the Flame and has lived to speak about it.”

* * *

Shar leaned against the side of the metal building, listening to the preacher’s racket.

“Praise the stars,” the man in the street shouted. “For the Son of the Prophets is here! Our universe shall be cleansed of all evil, and he will set us back on the path to righteousness.”

Shar banged the back of his head against the building, trying to drown out the noise. His father’s coin whipped around his hand in a blur as he waited in a dark alley where he was to meet Jela, the Quinnero woman who had been his contact over the previous months.

When he first got the message to meet there, he had smiled, thinking no more taverns for her. It would now be quite an inconvenience getting around Vintara with her black eyes. But he realized her inconvenience was becoming his, having to wait in the dank, listening to the crazies in the street.

That same fool was probably condemning the Earthlings a couple of weeks ago. Now he adores one. Shar wanted to bang his head again. Did I make the right choice?

He continued to ponder that thought before footsteps finally echoed down the alley. He turned to see Jela’s silhouette approaching, and an urge came over him to wield his coin through her skull. But it would do no good. The Quinneros would have proof to condemn him as a traitor.

Catching the coin mid-revolution, he stepped forward and demanded, “I need off this planet.”

She lowered her hood and scrutinized him with apparent disgust. “Your job is not done.”

“I handed you the Forsaken,” Shar growled. “They now know there is a traitor in the hierarchy. They are going to launch an extensive investigation. I could be caught. What use will I be then?”

The woman laughed. “What use will you be if you leave? We need someone on the inside. You are just another mouth to feed back home. And our food does not come as plentiful as it does on your wasteful planet.”

He glared at her. “I did what was asked. It is not my fault your master lost his prize. Is he not a man of his word?”

The second the words were out of his mouth, he knew they had been a mistake. Jela’s power roared forth, and she slammed his body against the wall, his head smacking it ten times as hard as earlier. His vision blurred momentarily before she grabbed him by the clasp of his cloak.

“Watch your mouth, rat. You speak of honor and yet betray your kind. If my Lord heard those words, you would be blackened char. We promised you his trust, nothing more. Well, you have gained it. And now we have your next task for you.”

When Shar was able to form a thought, he asked, “What task?”

“We assume you can no longer bring us the Forsaken?”

He shook his head. “Not a chance. He will be guarded better than the king from here on out.”

Jela nodded. “Then we need the location of his family.”

Shar furrowed his brow. “For what reason?”

“None of your concern. Just get it for us, and you will stay on the right path. My Lord is honorable, but it will take more than a single act to grant you into his inner circle.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I have not been given access to that information. If I start seeking it, that will only raise suspicions.”

She shrugged. “You are a crafty man; you will figure it out. Contact me when you have it.” She turned and walked back towards the street.

Shar glared after her. He wanted to argue, but it would be hopeless. They had him by the essence of his Solara, and they knew it. It had been the risk he took. He spun around and headed towards the opposite street, thinking of ways he could possibly gather the information they desired.

63

Colton floated in a dark oblivion. Void of any responsibilities, worries, or threats, he found it peaceful. Because even in the lonesome, emotionless confines of that black universe, his exhaustion ran deep. That is why when a small light, the first sign of any object or thought appeared in his timeless place, he wanted to scream at it to go away. He felt like he had missed a month’s sleep, and his only desires were to close his eyes, float, and catch up. But the light came on brighter, and it didn’t stop.

He was forced to squint as the orange glow overtook more of his vision. It continued to grow and eventually hit the point it looked like a massive sunrise, the first ever on a dark, desolate planet. As the light kept coming, he knew it would overtake him no matter what he did. So he silently waited. And as coherent thoughts returned, he wondered a rather important question.

Did I die?

That is when the light filled his vision, allowing him to see nothing else. The glare forced him to close his eyes, and an odd sensation overtook him. Much like during the Solara-jump aboard the Alfadar, he had the alien feeling he imagined was as if being sucked through a vacuum. When he came to and opened his eyes back up, the glow blazed in his peripherals, but his central vision stared again into a dark abyss.

After a moment, he got his bearings and realized he was now standing. He also understood that the new abyss he stared into was from where he had just emerged. It was as if the light had pulled him out of that dark hole. He remained lost, gazing into the black before turning to see that the light all around was actually flames.

He stood in an empty concrete room. In front of him, the flames licked up and down the silhouette of a human body. He took a step back in revulsion. The darkness he had been looking into were the pure black eyes of Tarend Gull. The man, with a blank and emotionless expression, again burned alive. The flames snapping at his body supplied the room with its only light. Colton shuddered at the idea it was the void of Gull’s eyes he had emerged from.

From the light reflecting off the flames, he spotted TJ running out of the dark behind the burning man. His friend looked to blindside Gull.

Without blinking an eye, Gull spun, axe appearing in his hand, and just missed TJ with it. TJ backed away and dodged as Gull swung the axe: one, two, three times. On the third swing, TJ made contact with a burnt-down house that had strangely appeared, and with nowhere to go, the axe struck him. The sound of breaking ribs pierced Colton’s ears, and his vision blurred.

He was somehow on his back. There was a haze of distorted colors above him before a blurry form molded into the shape of a head. He squinted to better see it was Willick’s concerned face looking down at him. Willick began to say something when Colton’s vision again distorted.

He was standing outside, under the blue sky of Earth. Willick was no longer there, but the Sinara was. Colton turned away from the ship and opened his arms wide when he saw his parents and brother rushing to greet him. When his mom’s arms wrapped around him, it felt like a giant hand grabbed his body and threw it off Earth, out into space. Like within a vortex, he sped by planets and stars before a purple light appeared ahead of him. He flew full force into the glow, and the purple consumed him.

Suddenly, someone gently kissed his lips. He opened his eyes and tilted his head up. Comfort filled him when a red-eyed Kyla sat up from being the one to have kissed him. Tears spilled down her face, and her eyes opened wide when he made eye contact. She grabbed his head in her hands and pleaded, “Colton! Come back to us!”

He felt his sword in his hand and glanced down to realize he was standing again. Dry clay and sand surrounded his feet. He looked back up, and chaos ensued. A horde of krugals bolted down the side of a cliff while others already engaged the many people in his vicinity.

He saw Kevin get swarmed and pulled down. Demarcus and Eric fought the best they could to not meet the same fate. Closer to him, David pleaded with Canter Brax, who bellowed orders as he swung his sword, decapitating a krugal in front of him. Colton was about to warn Brax that one was coming at his back when Kulik jumped out of a mass of bodies, intercepting the beast.

Colton spotted a back-to-back Violet and Crusad fighting for their lives against a dozen monsters. He knew they couldn’t hold, but when he moved to help, Violet spun towards him and screamed. Her movement distracted her from the fight, and a krugal scraped its claws across her belly. She fell to her knees, holding her wound, and with a terrified expression, pointed behind Colton. He turned just in time to meet the blade that punctured his stomach. His insides went ablaze, and the last thing he glimpsed before his vision went black was the snarling face of the beast that had stabbed him.

Exhaustion overwhelming him, he again opened his eyes. A beaten-up-looking Tommy now sat in a chair beside him. He didn’t think about why bruises covered one side of Tommy’s face or why his best friend had jumped out of the seat upon his movements. All he thought about was his relief at not being stabbed.

He smiled and said, “Thank goodness. It was only a combat-sim, Tom.”

The room turned black.

Colton wondered what had happened when the light came back on, and Ace and Morris were beside a now healthy-looking Tommy. He grinned, happy to see his friends together. He opened his mouth to greet them but stopped when a movement behind caught his eye. The Heart of the Flame, with his red, orange, and yellow attire, came walking into view.

Before he could warn his friends, The Heart, with a fierce smirk, snarled, “Nothing more than a Forsaken fool.”

Tommy, Ace, and Morris all burst into flames.

Colton’s upper body shot up. Every limb and muscle ached, and it was an effort to remain sitting up. His vision was blurry, so he couldn’t determine who, but he knew people were all around. They looked to be kneeling. His sight continued to swim, but he could still tell the faces of the people rose up when they noticed him.

The aches and exhaustion became too much to bear. The forms rushed towards him, and he fell back. Someone grabbed his head to soften the fall before he was swallowed by the darkness...

When he awoke again, a clouded feeling that had previously hung over him was gone. His thoughts were more intact, and with horror, he remembered the encounter with The Heart. He could also now feel the padded cushioning he lay on and the coolness in the air. When he opened his eyes, the distortion in his vision was absent, as the white ceiling he stared at appeared perfectly clear.

He sat up, and his head needed a moment to balance. Surveying the surrounding room, he knew he had never been there before. He was on some bedded couch surrounded by full bookcases that lined the walls. A reddish carpet covered the floor, and the only other pieces of furniture were a small desk and chair next to the couch. A metal door across from him was the only exit he saw.

He stood up and shook off a slight drowsiness. Also, minor pains made themselves evident throughout his body. He winced and took slow steps towards the door, but it opened.

One of the largest men he had ever seen walked through. And oddly enough, the man was followed by an over-large cat. The man motioned to the couch Colton had stood from with an expression of eagerness as he urged, “My Son, please sit. You are a guest here. Rest yourself, heal your wounds, and restore your energy.”

Colton froze and stared at the man. He was huge, not just tall, but muscular. His straight brown hair hung to his shoulders, and perhaps his most prominent feature was his strong jaw. The flat of his chin bulged almost as far out as his nose. Colton would put the man’s age at roughly thirty-five to forty-five, Earth-time. He had the strange feeling he had seen the guy before.

He examined the big cat. The animal was like no feline he had ever seen. About five feet long, it stood easily two-and-a-half feet high. Gray fur was spotted with black dots, and the animal had a white underbelly. A tuft of long gray and white hair also hung down from under its chin, looking almost like a beard on the animal. A foot-and-a-half long tail twirled back and forth at its rear. It regarded Colton with gray-blue eyes. Even with it staring straight at him, he didn’t feel threatened.

As Colton sat again, the man unbuttoned a white cloak and hung it over the desk chair before sitting there. He wore a tight white shirt, unbuttoned at the neck, with a purple dress vest over it. He had purple pants and high-quality-looking black shoes as if having just come from a party. Colton tried to place him but wasn’t having any luck.

The cat curled up on the floor next to him, and the man asked in a deep voice, “How are you feeling?”

Colton shrugged. “Okay, I guess. Where am I?”

The man grinned and lifted his arms. “You are in the center of the Universal Throne’s Palace.”

Colton glanced around. He had heard the palace was mostly white. There wasn’t much white in the room. “So I’m alive then,” he stated.

The man’s smile flattened. “That depends on if a living man can talk to a dead one?”

Colton frowned. Who the hell is this guy?

The man let out a booming laugh and roared, “Riddles! I am beginning to sound like Corpo.” He laughed so hard that even the cat at his feet seemed to give him a sideways look. He turned back and continued with a straighter face, “I apologize, my Son. This is not very regal of me. Yes, you are alive.”

The man paused and let the relief that swept through Colton sink in. But then he threw a curveball. “I, in the opposite case, am not.”

The cat made what sounded like a sad rumbling in its throat. Colton stared in shock, unsure he had heard right.

The man kept on as if he hadn’t just labeled himself dead. “We found it ironic that out of the trillions who praised us, one of the few who would not recognize us was a Son we were supposed to guide. You, my Son, have recently been staying on the planet named after me. I established the world that has evolved from destruction into what you have become acquainted with.”

It hit Colton like a ton of bricks, and he realized why the guy looked so familiar.

The man clarified it for him. “I am the Prophet, Vintara Dorthuen.”

Colton’s jaw dropped.

Vintara looked at the cat and chuckled before saying, “Swift says it is expressions like yours that make him glad to not be human.”

Colton shook his head and snapped out of it, asking, “Excuse me?”

The cat stood up and walked over, rubbing its body against Colton’s legs. It was so big it almost knocked him over on his side.

Vintara answered, “Swift is my companion there. By your expression, his species has probably evolved, at least on your planet.” He paused and stared at the cat. “He says he can smell the pureness of your soul and the great energy that rages within it. He wants you to know he believes if you learn to master that energy, few, if any, can stand in the way of what you try to achieve.”

Colton looked away from Vintara and down at Swift, staring up at him. He had always been told not to look a dangerous animal in the eyes. But when he stared into that gray-blue pool, he couldn’t help himself. He felt a connection and understanding form with the animal. And only when it rubbed one last time against his legs and walked off with its tail twirling did he snap out of what seemed to be another daze.

He looked back at Vintara and asked, “I’m sorry, so I’m still alive, but I can see dead people now? Are you a ghost that haunts the palace? Or a time traveler or something?”

The prophet smiled and petted Swift, who had seated himself again on the floor. “For time is but a construct, my Son. And while we did not learn to master it in our lifetimes, we prophets found ways to circumvent it. You are not in the actual palace. Swift and I, this room, one could say we are only a small memory. One wielded many millennia ago, meant to stay dormant until a certain event unfolded.”

The wheels in Colton’s mind spun. He let his confusion show when he asked, “A memory?”

A proud expression passed over Vintara. “A piece of my soul, wielded deep into the roots of this planet, to lay dormant until an event we prophets foresaw came to fruition. We looked to not only rebuild the universe but to set in motion events that would maintain a level of order when disaster did again befall it.

“This memory remained dormant so that at the proper time, the prophecy we foresaw and the power that comes with it would be revealed and help guide you in your next step. These prophecies are not meant for the entire universe’s ears. The powers of them, those that required pieces of our soul, are meant for a Son of ours only.”

Colton’s heart skipped a beat. The revelation of the prophecies! Power?

Vintara spoke in a loud and slow, chanting voice:

“When the king of the white throne bends his knee and pledges his allegiance, then shall Vintara’s requirement be fulfilled.

Those of white and those of flame will clash, and the universe will begin to shake.

Only when and where The Son of the Prophets is marked, can he truly begin his quest.

Looking to find the birth of Earth, he must reveal the prophecies. For if he fails, the dark of space will consume the light of the living.”

Colton tried to refrain from gaping at the prophet but failed. His heart pounded in his chest. “Did I just reveal a prophecy?” he asked.

Vintara chuckled before answering, “No, my Son. I just revealed a prophecy. You must now do your part to fulfill it.”

Colton was having trouble making sense of it all. He shook his head and said, “Wait a second, can we backtrack?”

Vintara leaned into his seat. “The wielding that was cast is not strong enough to have me linger here forever. But we should still have some time.”

Colton wasted none. “Okay, first off, are you actually Vintara? Am I speaking to the Prophet himself? Or are you just a memory of him?” He thought about that for a second before adding, “Whatever that means.”

A business-like tone took over the prophet, he stared intently at Colton, and the power and wisdom in that look held him in awe. “I understand how you can be confused. At first, I also did not believe such a wielding could be performed. But as a wise man once told me, to believe in something is to give it power. To fully believe a thing exists or is possible, no matter how unrealistic, can make it so. There is no greater power in all the universe than the conscious mind and the energies it possesses, my Son. Never forget that.

“To answer your question, I am the Prophet Vintara, but I stand before you as only a fragment of my full soul. I appear to you as I did to others in life, but I hold only pieces of the memories, intelligence, and intellect of the man I was. I am like a mere shadow with one purposeful directive.”

Colton still struggled to make sense of it, which must have shown on his face.

Vintara added, “What that directive is, has already been preordained, and this wielding was cast based off of it. The more of our souls we cut away and left dormant, the more of an effect we worried it would have in the next life. So while some may have given almost their entire soul and will tell anything and everything, others may have given very little and will barely be who they were in life.”

Colton felt he was somewhat getting it. He tried reasoning it out. “So basically, depending on the risk each of you prophets was willing to take in corrupting...or...injuring your soul, you left as much of yourself as you deemed safe to perform the part you foresaw?”

Vintara tilted his head. “That is a way of stating it. Every one of us understood we had our duties to perform. Some may have been forced to add more because their Son would need more, but I cannot say. If I had knowledge of everyone else’s responsibilities regarding the prophecies, I do not remember.” He smiled and added, “I do remember that I left a little extra to answer some of these questions.”

Colton laughed and said, “Thank you. I don’t know if it means much after thousands of years, but it is appreciated.”

Vintara chuckled. “Good. Is there anything else?”

He thought a moment more and asked, “Besides revealing the prophecy and answering my questions, is there anything else you’re supposed to do for me?”

It was tough for him to maintain eye contact with Vintara, but he did it when the prophet answered, “In revealing the prophecy, we grant you a power that was unique to us. I have already given you what was mine. But it is not meant to be learned or used until the right moment.”

“What is it?”

Vintara shot him a penetrating stare. “You will learn that at the right moment. For some prophets, it may be instant. But alas, for myself, it is not.”

Swift growled at Vintara’s feet. The man looked down at the animal and frowned. “The wielding will not hold much longer. Any last questions, my Son, ask now.”

Colton went into a panic. He had many but asked the one he thought was most important. “Why me?” He held his arms out. “Obviously, it is me. What made you all choose me as your Son?”

Vintara’s frown deepened. “We did not choose you. You simply are a Son of the Prophets.”

“What does that mean? Am I descended from one of your bloodlines? I have to imagine at least thousands are by this point. What makes me so special?”

Vintara shook his head. “I can tell you no more of this matter.”

He stared at the prophet in disbelief, wanting to sarcastically tell him, “Thanks a lot.” But he held his tongue.

Swift got up and trotted his way to the door, stopping to glance back at the two of them.

Vintara looked at the animal before turning to Colton to say, “We have to go.”

Feeling agitated, confused, and scared, Colton struggled to find another question before settling on, “Any words of advice?”

Vintara stood up and stared down at him. “What people never fully understood about us prophets was that we were only human. We may have been the strongest wielders, we may have had certain traits that qualified us best for the positions we were put in. But through it all, we were still human. We made mistakes. We were driven and affected by our emotions and feelings, by our human nature.

“Like we had, you have been given certain power, my Son. And, like us, you will find that power can change you for better or worse. My advice is that the only defense against the negative side of such a thing is to stay true to who you are”—he pointed down at Colton’s chest—“and use your mind to wisely follow your heart and intuition. Those two things will always tell you what is best.”

Vintara fastened his cloak, and Colton asked, “Am I supposed to understand that entire prophecy you revealed?” After a pause, he added, “Because I don’t.”

Vintara walked to the door, petted Swift again, and turned back with a sad look. “Earth was once an important woman in my life. Though she could not communicate with him like I could, during our time together, she became close with Swift here.” The feline let out a low yowl, and Vintara added, “And he with her.”

The prophet opened the door, and Colton saw nothing but white beyond it. Swift walked through. Vintara paused and said, “Later in her life, she surrounded herself with those similar to him. Perhaps that will help you make more sense of it. Farewell, my Son. And good luck.”

The Prophet Vintara Dorthuen walked through the door and closed it. Only when the door snapped shut did Colton awake back in his physical form.

64

The first thing Colton felt was complete exhaustion, followed by soreness running up and down his entire body. His head pounded, his back was stiff, a giant bruise ached along his ribs, and his arms and legs seemed to weigh a hundred pounds each. He tried opening his eyes to see where he was, but a light blinded him, causing a slight groan to escape his lips.

There was a rustling beside where he lay. He recognized Tommy’s voice, announcing, “He’s stirring again.”

“He’ll probably be back out in two seconds,” Ace replied from further away.

Colton’s mouth and throat were parched, but he wheezed out, “Tom?”

There was a moment of complete silence before multiple pairs of feet came rushing toward him. Seemingly beside Colton’s ear, Tommy answered, “I’m here, brother. How are you feeling?”

He tried to open his eyes again, but the light was still too much. It pierced his head and made the pain even worse. He was at least able to voice a complaint. “What hit me first, the plane, train, or bus?”

Grunts echoed around him, and Morris’ voice appeared, saying, “I’ll go get Willick.”

As his footsteps receded away, Tommy replied in a worried tone, “Technically, the ground hit you first. Do you remember what happened?”

Colton did, and he nodded the best he could. When he talked, his voice was raspy to his own ears. “I just heard Morris, and I believe Ace was before. You’re all okay?”

“Yeah, I’m here, Colt,” Ace answered. “And Morris is alive too. All three of us are a little banged up, but we just need to look at you to feel better.”

Colton laughed, causing pain to flare through his ribs and back. When it subsided, he said, “Glad I could help.” On the third try, he finally managed to hold his eyes open. He blinked the blurriness out of them when he heard more people rush into the room.

He just began to make Willick’s face out when the man warned, “Move slowly, Colton. The healers helped you the best they could, but you were too depleted. You needed some of your own energy restored and natural healing to begin before they risked doing too much. It could have killed both you and them. Or if something was done without enough energy behind it, you would be forever half-mended.”

Colton blinked a couple more times to better clear out his eyes. He turned to Willick and joked, “I was just finally able to open my eyelids. I’m not going anywhere.”

Willick let out a small breath of relief and smiled in response.

With his vision back, Colton realized he was surrounded by Tommy, Ace, Morris, and Willick. Lacking his usual sly grin, Roan stood farther back by the door. The sight of him, Tal’s close friend, sent a jolt of guilt and sorrow coursing through Colton. “I’m so sorry about Tal. We...I...should have done something more to help him.”

Willick shook his head. “Along with my brother, The Heart’s twins are two of the most powerful wielders in the universe. Two colossal mysteries; I do not know anyone who has ever seen their faces. Whoever, or whatever they are, might be the most significant threats against us besides The Heart himself.

“So no, Colton, if we replaced you four Earthlings with four of my own men, I do not foresee the outcome being any different. Tal was a great man and will be sorely missed. But he and the guards with him that day all died heroes deaths trying to protect you, The Son of the Prophets.”

Roan took a step forward. “Many are already calling it the most honorable death to have occurred in centuries. His entire family is being praised along with him. We are proud of him, his family is proud of him, and the prophets are proud of him. We all leave this life eventually. He did it in the most respectable of fashions.”

An overwhelming feeling came over Colton. Tal had died protecting him, and because of that, the man would be remembered as a hero. Colton wasn’t sure how to react. He didn’t want anyone to die for him. But after what had just happened with the Prophet Vintara, it was of the utmost importance that he saw the coming fight through.

He fought through the pain to lean up and say, “You still labeled Darys and the twins as threats. So the bastards got away?”

Willick nodded. “Our intel was muddled at the time. Planetary Defense was not shooting that ship down with the chance you were onboard. Darys evaded long enough to perform a Solara-jump and escape.”

Colton stared past everyone, anger replacing the sorrow he had just felt.

Willick changed the topic. “Now that you are awake, the healers can better mend your body if they get solid food in you. But you will probably pass out again after, so it is up to you whether you want to talk further or get healed.”

Colton responded by asking, “How long have I been out?”

Willick inclined his head. He explained, “It has been four days since the execution. After the cargo bay you were in went down, we found you all unconscious and buried in the rubble. Tommy had mostly depleted his energy at the prison. You, Colton, lost yours defending against The Heart. And Ace and Charlie lost theirs, feeding their energies for Ace to hold the shield against the ship’s crash and impact.”

Colton closed his eyes. A man couldn’t ask for better friends. Not just friends, brothers. Without them, I’d be dead. He opened his eyes and nodded to each in turn.

Willick continued, “We believe the shield held upon initial impact but shattered immediately after, sending the four of you crashing through metal, rock, and fire. The healers were in disbelief when they pulled you out. Bruised, burnt, bloodied, and broken, it showed a true force of will that all of you held onto life. Many would not have after such an ordeal. I should tell you, the whole thing has inspired quite a deal of confidence in the four of you.”

Colton remembered his burnt hands aboard the ship. He looked down at them and sighed when he saw they were healed.

Willick noticed. “The burns were the first injuries the healers mended. Burns are difficult and require healing immediately. But they take time and energy, and between the four of you, there were quite a few to be tended to. The healers that first arrived did what they could. I am sorry, Colton, but your legs will never look exactly as they did before.”

Colton shrugged. He’d judge once alone, but all things considered, it could have been worse. He was more worried about his friends. Looking at Tommy and the others, he asked, “If they didn’t fully heal me, what about you guys?”

Tommy waved him off. “We’re fine, Colt. We all woke up a day and a half ago, within hours of one another. They finished healing the three of us already. I’m perfectly okay. Ace has nothing but a scar on his chest that he asked them to keep.”

Ace grinned. “Piece of metal took a chunk right out of me. It looks awesome, man.” He motioned to Morris while laughing. “Not like my boy over here. He’s got a large nasty burn on one of his ass cheeks.”

Morris threw his hands up and mimicked Ace with mock laughter.

Colton breathed a sigh of relief, glad they were all okay. He turned back to Willick. “And my family? Where are they? Do they know what happened?”

Willick was nodding before Colton finished. “They are still safe on Goria. They know what happened but have been informed that you are okay. The airspace on all the Throne planets are under a tight lockdown after the breach. But we can get them here in the next couple of days. From what I understand, your mother is ready to tear the planet down to reach you.”

Colton smiled. He didn’t doubt it.

“So how’d it happen?” he asked. “How’d your brother get into the prison?”

Willick did a fair job keeping his face blank, but Roan behind him appeared troubled.

“You all were in a highly secured section of a high-security prison,” Willick responded. “And the Throne added extra precautions of its own. So for my brother to get in, without even a struggle or fight, is unnerving. The only explanation is that we have a traitor or spy in our system, possibly multiple ones.”

Roan stepped forward and added, “Deep in the system. Few had clearance to enter the prison that day. Someone would have needed extremely high authority to sneak Darys in like that. Someone who also had the means of erasing all traces because we found nothing. No security footage, login record, Solara traces, nothing.”

Colton wasn’t surprised. He knew how much the Spacelings prided themselves on their honor, so maybe it wasn’t as common in their higher ranks. But on Earth, a spy or traitor could be found in any government. And so he had anticipated that declaring him, an Earthling, as The Son of the Prophets, may draw a few out within the Throne. He was more concerned with what had occurred during the struggle, asking, “What happened in the room? How did your brother make those twins appear out of nowhere?”

Willick’s expression was blank, but Colton thought he heard concern in the man’s voice when he answered, “They are rare, but a few items and tools from the time before the prophets and their war are still around today. When one is found, it usually can help perform a task unimaginable in the present universe. And so these treasures are kept and guarded in secrecy. With the entire Quinnero planet and palace at his disposal, I would not be surprised if The Heart possessed a few.

“Our historians have informed us of reports of black disks from just after the time of the prophets, when spacecraft and travel were much slower than they are now. Powerful wielders used these disks to travel faster amongst the planets. They are sets, and no matter where one is, you wield through it to travel to the location of the other. We believe a pair of these is what The Heart got ahold of.

“I believe my brother transported the twins from the Port of Vintara City into the room with you in a matter of seconds. And he got you all out in the same manner. Back to the second disk, which I am sure was with the Heart of the Flame at the Port. Once the guards finally broke through the doors into the execution room, you were already gone.”

Colton closed his eyes again, replaying the events in his head. Bayel Rizar, Tal, and the guards, all dead. The thought of it made him sick.

Willick continued, “This was more than just to get to you, Colton. Darys is a known representative of Quinnero and the second-in-command behind The Heart. That makes his murder of High-Seat Rizar an act of war. This was a major-scale event planned out long in advance. Quinnero and Oldirian forces have been on the move since that day. Ours are mobilizing now. The war has officially begun, my Lord Son.”

Colton understood the implication. The war starting meant that he, as The Son of the Prophets, needed to begin doing his part. He stared straight ahead, losing himself in thought. It has already started for me as well, Willick. I know what I need to do.

But before he would get into that, he had to ask, “You said our troops are mobilizing. What about Camp Penski? What about our friends?” He paused and added, “What about Kyla?”

Morris answered, “We missed the graduation, Colt. David, Demarcus, and Eric came in to check on us. I was the only one awake. They’ll stay under Demoric’s command and have a good captain in Canter Brax. I’m not sure if they shipped out yet. If not, then soon.”

“And Kyla was here a couple of times,” Tommy continued. “Morris and Ace told me once before I was awake, and then I saw her once after. She was crying at your bedside, holding your hand, and even gave you a kiss that stirred you for a moment. She hadn’t received her orders yet and wanted you to know she would stop in again once she did.”

Colton stared at Tommy, exhilaration coursing through him. Knowing he and Kyla had mended their relationship before it had become too late was a great relief. He liked to believe that her presence had helped his healing and felt he would need her by his side again before all was said and done.

“So when do we graduate?” he asked.

“As soon as you can,” Willick answered. “Events are unfolding quickly now. Soon the battles will begin, and we will find ourselves locked in a tough and painful struggle. You young men will be officially graduated and promoted once you are physically able, and then certain actions will need to happen from there.”

Colton figured Willick must deem it best that the king and the high-seats help guide him through the early stages. But he already had a plan, albeit a rough and not thoroughly thought out one. Curious, however, he asked, “What type of actions?”

Willick locked eyes with him. “The death of Rizar aired, and people watched you, Colton, the one rumored as our savior, be captured by The Heart’s men. Not only did The Heart declare war, but he had all but seemingly killed the one meant to help lead our side through it. In a day, people panicked, and many fled.

“But then we found a second video in the rubble of the crash. There was a security link-in, a tiny camera embedded into the ship The Heart took you on. It was in the cargo bay itself. We saw the whole encounter between you and him. By now, the entire universe has.”

Colton was taken aback. Part of him felt embarrassed that he hadn’t struck back at The Heart, but the other part knew there was no way he could have. It had taken everything to hold the madman off.

Willick helped spark confidence in him. “People watched you, an Earthling new to wielding, duel one-on-one against The Heart of the Flame and survive the encounter. Most understand that even the strongest of our wielders would have fallen under that full-scale mental and physical assault. But you held. You, the one they previously associated with the face of Earth and everything the people from it are capable of.

“They are praising your name in the streets, Colton. People are on their knees, calling out for you as their savior. You have given hope where it was all but disappearing. And not just hope in you, but the millions of other Earthlings that joined the cause.”

Again, Colton was speechless as he soaked in the pride. By trying to crush the threat Colton represented, The Heart inadvertently strengthened it. And not only that, he helped right the wrong that plagued Earth, the one Bayel Rizar would have wanted to be fixed. Earthlings were now receiving the respect they deserved throughout the universe. In his mind, it was poetic justice.

Willick stared him down. “The king and high-seats came here personally and bent their knee, acknowledging you as The Son of the Prophets.”

“Yeah, and you shot up like a demon when they did it, you weirdo,” Ace cut in.

Colton frowned at Tommy.

His friend shrugged and said, “You did. It was strange.”

Willick continued, “The king has addressed the public and told them of this official pledge of the Throne’s allegiance. And they, mostly, are accepting of it. But this throws a whole new responsibility onto you. And because it happened sooner than expected, it changes how we all might have thought to move forward.”

Colton saw where the conversation was going. “What do they want of me?” he asked.

Willick’s lips pressed into a firm line. “The king announced that you would publicly address the universe when healed and capable. No date has been set, and beyond that, the king and high-seats meet as we speak to discuss what should come thereafter.”

Colton had to hold back a disgruntled look. “I appreciate everything you have done for me, Willick, and I respect the king’s authority and that of the high-seats. But in the future, I would like to be informed that I will address billions of people before it is announced. I only recently started understanding that while I need all the help I can get, including that of the Throne, I must figure out and do some things on my own.

“Especially now, with a possible traitor lurking high in the government. Certain information needs to stay amongst either myself or a few.” He paused, reflecting on his conversation with Vintara and the prophecy. “This is why I know what I have to do next, and it’s pretty astounding how I figured it out. I trust everyone in this room, which is why I’m going to share something with you all. Afterward, I trust you, Willick, that you will know what is best to do with this information. I expect you to know whose safe to share this with.”

“Of course,” Willick said, wielding a dome of Solara around them. It blocked all sight and sound from any people or cameras outside of it.

Colton discussed Vintara’s prophecy. He went in-depth, from waking up in the reading room to the prophecy in which he, to his surprise, remembered the words entirely. All up until Vintara closed the door on his way out. By the time he had finished, Ace, Morris, and Roan had taken seats with dumbfounded looks while Willick and Tommy stood lost in thought.

Colton let them take it all in before he broke the silence. “So it’s clear what my next step needs to be. It’s time to go back to Earth. Willick, will you help make it happen?”

Willick snapped out of his thoughts and stared a moment. “I think this certainly needs to be shared with the king. And I do not foresee him disagreeing. We already understood it needed to happen sooner rather than later. I suppose the high-seats need to be informed as well. I trust most of them and believe we can trust the others, but”—he shook his head—“no, if a high-seat is a traitor, we are in deeper trouble than anyone imagined. We will have to trust the high-seats.”

He stopped and paused. “Are you sure it was not a dream, Colton?”

Colton looked at Tommy, who he could tell had been wondering the same thing. It was easy leaving any doubt out of his voice because there was none. “A dream being that vivid and clear, I don’t think so. I didn’t dream up those words for a prophecy and remember them that perfectly. I have no way to prove it, unfortunately. Vintara said I would get a power, but he didn’t clarify exactly what or when. He only stated it would be found at the right moment.”

He glanced around at each set of eyes in the room. “Basically, and this is what I meant with some things I will have to do on my own, you’re going to have to trust me.” He arched an eyebrow to see if they did.

“With my life,” Tommy responded immediately. Ace and Morris weren’t far behind, and he knew how lucky he was to have them with him.

After a moment, Willick said, “You are our hope.” He pointed to his heart. “In here, I know you are The Son of the Prophets. Of course, I trust you.”

And Colton figured with Willick’s, he’d get Roan’s word, but he still looked to the man. Roan smiled, and in a joking reference and respect to Tal, he stated, “Yes, my lord.”

Colton grinned. “Thank you all,” he declared with his whole heart behind it. “I can’t express in words what that means to me.”

He winced and struggled through the pain but made a point to sit up. Once Tommy and Willick helped him, he said, “I will go along with addressing the universe. But I will do so not by necessarily speaking, as opposed to showing them what they need to see. We are going to erase any last doubts from anyone’s mind. Let’s strike the fear back into the Quinneros, the Army of Flame, and The Heart himself that he struck into us. It’s time I go back home and wield. Let’s show this universe who the real Son of the Prophets is.”

Willick and Tommy nodded to his words with determined faces. Ace, Morris, and Roan leaned closer with giant grins.

Colton held a resolute expression of his own. After he wielded on Earth, the cards would all be on the table. The billions in the universe would be forced to choose between him and The Heart. A part of him worried over whether he was up to it, fearing he would fail those who chose him. He tried to gain encouragement over the idea he had the prophets and prophecies on his side. But deep down, something told him it wasn’t that simple.

The only certainty was that, whether up to the task or not, there was no going back. The universe would soon find out what type of man Colton Samson was. Feeling ready, he muttered more to himself than anyone else, “Let it begin.”

AUTHOR’S NOTE

PLEASE READ

To those who made the journey, I thank you for spending your valuable time engrossed in this universe. I hope if you’re reading this, that means you enjoyed our Forsaken friends’ story.

As an indie author with no contacts in the trade, reviews will help other readers discover my work. I cannot overstate their importance, especially for a debut author such as myself. Think about anything you buy online. For most people, the number of reviews has a deciding impact on whether or not to purchase a particular product. It’s no different in the land of books. So PLEASE, consider leaving an honest review on Amazon, Goodreads, or your favorite review site. Even just a click of the rating star can go a long way. This is the easiest approach to supporting my writing efforts. Because the more awareness it receives, the quicker I can continue this story. Which is absolutely what I hope to do. But I have to ensure my little minions at home are getting the life they deserve first.

Either way, thank you again for reading my book. Know by doing so, you will forever have this Forsaken’s thanks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mathematician. Construction contractor. Author?

Bryan Wilson has had a winding road to publishing his debut novel, The Forsaken Planet. But as an avid reader and writer of Sci-Fi and Fantasy since childhood, he hopes, like any good book, that journey has a satisfying ending. One with many more novels for you hopeful fans to enjoy.

He lives in New England with his beautiful wife, two daughters, and two cats. And when he’s not jumping around trying to equally divide his attention to those five females in the house, you can find him enjoying American football, hockey, or kicking his friend’s rears in the fantasy versions of both. He also likes a good poker game every now and then.

To learn more or to sign-up for his newsletter, please visit www.bryanwilsonauthor.com

Also, if you’d like, please follow him on Instagram @bryan.wilson.author for updates on writing and life.