Chapter 2
“Let’s go, men. We have to organize those remaining in the city for departure.”
Markus walked beside his friend, Sonar, who had also volunteered. “I’m surprised you volunteered.”
“I don’t have any family left…but you do, Markus. Your mother and sister are going to be upset that you’re not going to be evacuated with them.”
Markus shrugged, trying to be tough, but the truth was he was worried about his family and hated that they would be separated. “Their safety comes first. Besides, my mother knew when I started my warrior training there would be a chance that I could die in battle like my father.”
“Your mother is going to be furious with you.”
Markus looked at his friend. “Do you think they’ll make a memorial for us to celebrate our death flights?”
“I personally am planning to catch that final battle cruiser before it leaves Drakonia’s atmosphere. I don’t want to die here, but I have always wanted to take to the stars.”
Markus wasn’t sure that his friend’s plan would work out. He had to put hopeful thoughts aside and concentrate on the mission.
Warrior Orteg assigned several warriors to each group of women and children. They would be taken to the portals. The kings were being escorted by their own royal guards. Every male present would be on guard to ensure the safety of those weaker or injured.
“Let’s go!” Orteg ordered several groups at a time to leave, heading for the building to the left of the main square that housed the eight portals.
Markus and several other warriors used their hand weapons to shoot down any of the aliens on the surface. One of the warriors had shifted to his dragon form to provide coverage, using his massive body and hard scales. It was much harder to kill a dragon than to kill them in their human form, but the dragons on the ground were slower and unable to get inside the buildings. His people were never more vulnerable than when they were in mid-shift.
Only one warrior was wounded in the process of moving the people from the palace. The mages were already waiting for them. Mage Craggen came with King Malachi.
“My kings, if you will take the portals. Each of you cut your palm and drop your blood in the portal rings. Mages! As soon as the blood has spilt, you can spell the coordinate into the portals. Once opened, we will send a few males in first for protection for the rest. The women and children will be sent through next. Then, the males not needed to fight will be sent through. The people in your home regions will be entering their portals the same way. Finally, the kings will enter the portal, closing it automatically behind them.”
“Are we all being sent to the same planet?”
“To ensure our survival and lessen the chances of our enemy finding us all again, we have chosen two different planets to use as new locations. The eight ruling regions will be split between the two planets. Both planets are conducive to our people’s survival.”
“What about King Rand’s portal?” King Malachi asked.
“I will be giving my blood to open and close the portal,” Rone, the thirteen-year-old son of King Rand, spoke up. His mother put her hand on his shoulder to show her support.
Markus and the other warriors stood at the entrance to the room, blocking the aliens from entering until the portals were closed. Mage Craggen motioned for the kings to proceed. The portals opened with their blood, and a few of the men each went through first. Craggen nodded that it was a successful transportation and ordered that the women and children proceed. Markus saw his mother and sister coming to him.
“You two need to go.”
“I want you to come with us,” his little sister, Destiny, said with tears in her eyes. She was eight years old and his one weakness. He would do just about anything to put a smile on her face. He knelt down and took her into his arms.
“I have to do my duty, little one, but if there is any way possible, I will find you.”
“Promise? No matter how long it takes?”
“I swear it on God Animus that I will find you no matter how long it takes.”
“I’ll wait for you and then we can fly together.”
“That’s a deal.” He stood up and looked at his mother, who was fighting tears. “I’ll—”
“Don’t promise me anything, son. Do your duty to your kingdom, but remember that you were mine, my joy and my hope, first. So, if there is a way to come back to us, find it.”
He nodded as he hugged her. “Travel safe.”
“Until we meet again,” his mother returned.
Watching his family walk through that portal and remain behind was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. His every instinct was to go after them and protect them. He prayed to their gods that they were safe now.
The building shook as it took several hits. Debris fell down and crashed into one of the portals, destroying it. People began to panic, pushing and shoving each other to get through the remaining portals.
“Move out of the way!” King Dyson shoved his way through his people, dragging his young queen behind him. She fell down and he left her there to get to the front of the line.
“Sire, you cannot go through yet, it will close the portal!” The mage controlling that portal tried to stop him, but Dyson shoved him away.
“I can’t die, I’m a king!” Dyson went through the portal despite his people’s screams, and the portal automatically shut down.
King Malachi made his way over. “Can you open the portal again using another king’s blood?”
“No sir, we tied it to each specific king when we first created the portals. Only King Dyson would be able to open or close the portal.”
Two portals down, and the rest of King’s Dyson’s people looked around in fear. King Reichardt moved forward. “Any of King Dyson’s people are welcome to come through my portal.”
Malachi didn’t want to be outdone. “I too offer refuge for those of Dyson’s people.” Each of the remaining kings offered the same. The evacuation continued with more hits to the building, and then one major blast took part of the roof off exposing them to the outside. Another two portals were destroyed, but luckily the kings went through them before they were destroyed.
“Everyone through the portals now!” King Zocor yelled out. Then he collapsed before his queen with a laser blast to his back.
“No, Zocor!” Queen Arena held her king in her arms. “You can’t leave me!”
“Drag my body through the portal, to close it. Do it for me, my queen.”
With strength Markus had no idea someone so fragile-looking could possess, Queen Arena dragged her king through the portal, closing it behind them.
The enemy breached the room, dropping down from the open rooftop. Mages battled to keep them from going through the portals, though a couple got through. The mages fell to the ground, breathing their last breaths one by one. The kings quickly entered the remaining portals, closing them up.
Markus and the remaining warriors were trying to get the few mages still alive to safety. “You must go,” Warrior Orteg told them. “Take the remaining warriors and get to that battle cruiser.”
Markus shook his head. “I can’t leave you behind.”
“You must.”
Craggen limped to him and handed him a round metal medallion with symbols on it. “Take this medallion; it has the coordinates to where the two planets are located. We tried to find planets far enough away that it would take a really long time for the enemy to find it. Time will go by much faster at the new world. I didn’t think it would matter, since our people age slowly.”
“What are you saying, Craggen?” Markus asked.
“I calculated the trajectory, taking wormholes to speed up the travel time. For every year it takes you to travel via space, a hundred years will pass.”
“A hundred years? Is there no way to get to them sooner?”
“We only know a few wormholes. You might find more along the way, but there is no guarantee that they will take you any closer. I gave the coordinates as well to the other general, who has people on board their battle cruiser, in hopes that he will find it.”
Markus took the medallion, which had a hole at the top of it. He removed the leather cord he wore around his neck and slid it on there to wear around his neck later—he could not be able to wear it while he shifted. “We will find our people and protect them.”
Orteg put his hand on his shoulder. “Go now and take to the skies. Safe travels.”
“Until we meet again,” Markus said, motioning the other warriors to follow him up. They all shifted to their dragon forms. Two steps, then they leapt up. Their scales were a multitude of colors that would normally glisten like glass under their suns. With the destruction and smoke and fire from the battle, a cloud formed over the city blocking out much of the light.
Was the last battle cruiser still there? As they flew blindly through the dark cloud, they burst free into the sunlight and were relieved to find that yes, the cruiser was just starting to head out. The last battle cruiser lifted up higher and higher, firing laser blasts at their enemy.
“Ya’ul!” His dragon called out to let the others know to hurry up.
They answered back. He looked over and the dragon to his right suddenly cried out in pain before falling to the ground below. An enemy fighter ship hovered there, ready to shoot him, but Markus opened his mouth and let his fire of fury burn the enemy’s ship until it exploded. Others used their fire as well. The landing pad was still open. Each of them landed; some came in a little hard and bounced. Once they were all on the landing pad, they lifted up into the ship.
Markus and the others shifted back to their humanoid forms. He hit the communicator to the bridge. “General, it’s Warrior Markus. I have the coordinates to the planets that our people have been sent to.”
“We’ll get that from you when we have jumped to safety.”
“Prepare for flight jump!” The general’s voice rang out all over the ship.
Markus and the others went to get into a secure seat. He hoped that all their efforts to ensure the safety and continuation of their people worked, and those who died that day had not died in vain.