Leaving Sivadia (3 page)

 With a heavy heart, Cy entered the sleeping
quarters he had to share with Vind. One side of the room consisted of two
narrow bunk beds recessed into the wall. The other wall had a makeshift desk
with three drawers on each side. A door led to the smallest bathroom he had
ever seen. He could barely turn around in there and would have to duck under
the shower-head to get wet.

Vind had found their room while he was talking to Father
and had evidently claimed the bottom bunk. He sat and watched Cy inspect the
room. “I’m no more thrilled about sharing a room than you are.”

“Are you going to try and kill me in my sleep?” Cy
asked.

“Why, brother. What makes you think that?” His voice
dripped with sarcasm.

“Since your plan failed for the Nyrubi to do your dirty
work, I figured you would concoct another.”

“You’re delusional, Cy.”

“Deny all you want. I saw you smile when it stabbed me.
Too bad you couldn’t control the beast, like you try to control everything
else.”

Vind looked at him with hooded eyes, and then shook his
head. “The bottom bunk is mine.”

“Fine.” Cy didn’t want Vind sleeping above him anyway.

There was a light tap on the door and Cy opened it.

Their father came into the room. “Boys, I’ve decided you
both should sit in on all of the briefings about what’s going on outside of
this facility.” He looked at Vind. “One day, you will run the Sivadian army,
and Cygan will rule our people. I don’t want either of you looking back and
thinking things could have been done differently. You both should know the full
extent of what we’re facing and the reasons behind every decision made. They
will be some of the most difficult decisions any ruler has ever faced, and I
want you both by my side every step of the way.”

“Yes, Father,” they said simultaneously.

“Some reports are coming in now, and we’re meeting Oz in
the command center.”

They followed him off the ship. At the back of the
hangar, they entered a large room with row upon row of monitors lining the
walls. Some of them showed maps or graphs, and some showed different parts of
Sivadia where cameras had been placed.

“Cieran.” Oz motioned to one of the monitors. “This is
outside of the open markets downtown. We issued an order for the merchants to
close well before the invasion started. Most didn’t listen.”

Cy cringed as he gazed at the screen. Hundreds of people
lay dead on the streets, their bodies blood-soaked. He looked closer, some had
been decapitated. This was bad, much worse than he’d ever imagined. What kind
of monster could tear someone’s head off? The thought had no more entered his
mind before a huge image appeared on the screen. It opened its long muzzle and
roared, revealing large canine tusks dripping with blood. Cy clenched his fist
to keep anyone from seeing his hands tremble. A man on the ground tried to
crawl away and hide beneath a shrub. The Haagon’s head jerked in his direction.
One long stride later, it lifted the man off the ground, clamped its muzzle
around his neck and pulled. The man’s head fell to the ground and the Haagon
lapped the spurting blood from the stump where it had been. The monster took
another huge bite and chewed the neck down to the shoulders. Bile rose in Cy’s
throat. He looked away and clasped a hand across his mouth.

“Is he eating him?” Vind asked, his eyes wide with
excitement.

“That’s what they do,” Oz said. “They are carnivorous
scavengers, who will try to eat everything they kill, even if it’s only a
bite.”

“Did one Haagon kill all those people?” Cy asked.

“I’m not sure how many there were, but I have a feeling
we’re going to find out sooner than we want.” His father looked at him and
narrowed his eyes. “Boys, I believe you’ve seen enough for one day. It’s
getting late. You can return to your room.”

Cy nodded and turned to leave. He must have looked pale.
He sure felt pale. He glanced back and Vind wasn’t following. He seemed to be
getting off on all that gore.

Cy managed not to throw up until he reached his room.
Afterwards, he brushed his teeth, and then climbed into his bunk and covered
his head. All he wanted was to sleep, and forget this day had ever happened.

***

 Cy woke from a fitful sleep, almost as tired as
when he went to bed. He had dreamed all night that the Haagon he’d seen on the
monitor was after him. He would run and trip over dead, decaying bodies until
he found a place to hide, and when the monster came closer, he’d run some more.

He had to get a grip. A future king who showed weakness
wasn’t a very good prospect for king. For the last four years, Father had spent
time with him, adding courtly duties to his already heavy study load. He had
never once complained though. He wanted to learn everything he could, and one
day become as great a leader as his father.

Oz had spent the same amount of time with Vind, teaching
him the skills he would need once he becomes general of the army. Vind was much
more suited for that kind of stuff. If he had ever known fear, he hid it well.

It’s good that I was first born.

Twins were not unusual among Sivadians. When they were
successors to the throne, it was customary not to tell anyone who was born
first until their tenth birthday. That way they weren’t treated differently by
others during the early formative years. Cy was glad they weren’t told. Vind’s
attitude toward him changed that day. He became bitter, and the older they got,
the worse it became. At seventeen, Vind could start basic training in the army.
Hopefully, it would provide him with an outlet for all that anger.

Cy turned over in bed and glanced at the clock on the
vanity. Seven thirty. He jumped down from the top bunk and froze as Vind’s eyes
opened. Seconds later they closed and he turned over to go back to sleep. Cy
released a breath. When they used to share a room, Vind always got mad if he
was awakened too early. He didn’t need a repeat performance from their
childhood reminding him how hateful his brother could be. Why couldn’t they
just get along like normal brothers?

He grabbed some clean clothes and went into the tiny
bathroom. He turned the shower on and prayed he would fit in the small space,
not to mention the non-existent water pressure. Ten minutes later, he headed to
the small kitchen on their ship in search of breakfast.

“Good morning, Master Cygan,” Alpheus greeted. “Your
parents have already eaten. May I fix you something?”

“Do we have fowl eggs?”

“We most certainly do,” Alpheus said.

“Eggs and bread would be great.”

After breakfast, Cy went to explore the other ships.
Theirs carried the royal council, scholars, scientists, the technical and
medical staff, along with enough servants to keep everyone happy. He wasn’t
sure who was on the other passenger ship, probably the military personnel. The
three ships filled with Sivadian artifacts only carried the flight crew for
their journey to the new planet.

Every time Cy thought about Earth his stomach churned.
He hated the thought of never ruling over Sivadia. What if the new planet was
awful or ugly? Father said it was nice, but he only had the word of those who
went on the expedition ships in search of a survivable planet.

When the Haagons first began destroying planets within
their galaxy, it had taken years before they found anything remotely
survivable. They ended up with only two possibilities, Candorp and Earth.
Candorp was populated by a species with red and blue mottled skin. They had
brought back pictures of both planets and its inhabitants. Earth’s species
looked almost identical to Sivadians. They were called homo-sapiens or humans.
So Earth it was. The pictures of the planet looked nice enough, but it was
nowhere near as beautiful as Sivadia.

Cy looked in the command center for his father and Oz.
They were both there, staring at the monitors. They wore the same clothing as
when he had left last night, just a little more wrinkled; their eyes were a
little redder and expressions a little tighter.

Cy stopped next to Oz and glanced at the screen. “Have
you both been here all night?”

“We left long enough to have breakfast,” his father
said. “Where’s your brother?”

“He was still in bed about half an hour ago.”

Cy glanced at the row of monitors. The unbelievable
display of destruction was massive. He recognized a community west of the
capital. Its citizens were fighting a group of Haagons, and the number of lives
lost was high.

Oz reached and flipped on a communication link.

“Commander Holden,” a voice echoed throughout the room.

“Commander, this is General Ozeus. I need for you to
take as many men as you can spare and get over to the community of Palastarr
immediately. There’s a group of civilians barely holding back four Haagons.”

“Yes, sir,” the commander said.

Cy continued to watch the screen. A girl, who appeared
not much older than him, ran from a house. A large gun hung from a strap around
her shoulders. An older man and woman were fast on her heels, both carrying
similar weapons. All three opened fire on a Haagon who was trying to break
through a side door. This one appeared larger than the other three ravaging
other houses on the street.

The Haagon roared and leapt toward the man, evidently
seeing him as the biggest threat. The raining bullets never fazed, or even
slowed the massive beast. It grabbed the man by the neck and twisted. His head
flung side to side as the Haagon shook him. It slammed him to the ground where
his body remained in a broken, twisted heap.

The woman screamed and ran toward the man as if she
didn’t see, or care that a beast stood between them. As she neared the Haagon,
it brought back one leg and kicked, lifting her into the air. Her body hit the
house and landed on the ground.

The girl reloaded her gun and opened fire. The Haagon
swatted the bullets like pesky insects. As he got closer, the girl turned and
ran, but his long stride soon caught up to her. The monster grabbed her waist
length braid, jerked her back, and held her above the ground by her hair.

A guy, around the same age as the girl, ran down the
street toward them. “Let her go!” His bayonet glinted in the muted sunlight.
Sivadian steel…the shiniest and strongest metal known. The Haagon pulled the
girl toward him. As he opened his massive mouth and tore a huge chunk from her
neck, the guy leapt onto its back. Blood spurted; covering the guy as he
repeatedly buried the bayonet to the hilt in its neck and shoulders.

He needs to get away before the Haagon's blood makes
him pass out.

Cy’s muscles tightened as if he were trying to help the
young man defeat the massive beast.

The Haagon slung from side to side, trying to knock the
guy from his back. He maneuvered to the center and brought the blade straight
down, slicing through its vertebra. It’s massive head fell forward, and the
rest of its body followed. The guy held on and rode it to the ground. He sliced
the blade through to the front, completely severing its head, and then
collapsed onto the ground next to his kill.

Oz and the king looked at each other with wide eyes. “I
can’t believe what we just saw,” Oz said. “I know from experience how much
strength it takes to kill those things. We need more people like him in our
forces.” Oz punched a number into his com-link. “Commander Holden. How far are
you from Palastarr?”

“We are there, sir.”

“Go to the last house on Main street. There’s a young
man lying next to a dead Haagon. He’s covered in its blood and has passed out
from contact with it. Find him and bring him to the launch facility. He just
killed that thing with nothing but a bayonet.”

“Yes, sir. I have eyes on him now. I’ll have one of the
men transport him to you.”

“Have them take him to the infirmary.”

“I’ll go check on him,” the king said.

“Father, may I come with you?”

“Sure, son. This recruitment will be good for you to
witness.”

Cy followed his father through the hangar and onto the
ship that housed the forces. They entered the infirmary and the guy they had
watched kill the Haagon was lying on a stretcher. A doctor stood over him
listening to his chest with some type of instrument. Every inch of the young
warrior was covered in blood.

The king stopped beside the doctor. “How is he?”

“His heart is strong. I believe he’ll be fine once we
dilute the Haagon blood-toxins in his system.” The doctor cut the boy’s clothes
off, and then tilted the table and turned on a handheld shower. After the blood
was scrubbed from his body, a nurse placed an IV in his arm and turned the
fluids wide open.

“How long will he be out?” Cy asked the doctor.

“I haven’t had much experience with Haagon blood, but
the fluids should flush the toxins quickly. If there are no internal injuries,
he should come around within a few minutes.”

Cy watched him for signs of awakening. With the blood
gone he looked much younger than he had on the monitor. His hair was as dark as
black tourmaline, and his skin was tanned as if he worked outdoors. Moments
later, his eyes blinked open and he sprang up in bed, glaring around the room
as if he were about to attack.

The king placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder.
“Take it easy, son. You’re safe. You were unconscious and we brought you here
for medical attention. What’s your name?”

He relaxed and leaned back against the pillow. “Miles,
sir, Miles Mancuso.”

“Do you remember what happened?”

Miles closed his eyes and nodded.

“Was that your family you tried to save?”

“I’m an orphan. It was my life-mate and her parents. We
were to be married next spring.”

Miles stared at the king for a moment. His eyes widened
and his head tilted forward. “Your highness.”

The king sat on the edge of his bed and laid his hand on
Miles’ arm. “What you did to that Haagon was very impressive.”

“I barely remember what happened after…” A sob caught in
Miles’ throat. “It killed the only girl I’ve ever loved.”

“I can imagine how hard this must be. You fought like a
seasoned pro. There’s only one other person who has stood alone against a
Haagon and survived. And he’s the most decorated warrior on Sivadia.”

Miles’ brows pulled low. “The General?”

“Yes. With a little training, you will be as confident a
warrior as he. I had you brought here, to the facility where we are staying
until the Haagons are defeated. I would like for you to stay here and join our
troops. We need a lot more men like you.”

Miles looked the king in the eye. “Thank you, your
highness. I’d be honored. The more of those monsters I can kill, the better.”

“You rest today. When you’re up to it, we’ll start your
training.” The king rose from the bed to leave.

“Your majesty,” Miles said. “I would prefer to get back
out there as soon as possible.”

“I know, son, but you’ve suffered a devastating loss,
and we still don’t fully understand the effects that Haagon blood has on us.
Once the doctor releases you, you’ll be free to return to duty.”

Miles nodded and the weight of the world reflected in
his dark brown eyes. Cy’s heart ached for him. If only there were something he
could say or do to make Miles situation better.