The Drellic Saga: Books One, Two and Three

by Mike Marlinski

  Meanwhile, fifteen year old Drellic Kail was sitting in a lecture hall at Siren City’s Institute of Higher Learning, where his professor was discussing the most basic of propulsion system designs for ships capable of traveling faster than light.

  While the elderly, bearded man in his white lab coat and eye glasses spoke of using controlled singularities to unite distant points in space, for the purpose of enabling instantaneous journeys across solar systems, Drellic used his utter boredom as a means to justify silently mocking his classmates, who seemed beyond intrigued.

  Growing up in a home with a direct connection to the highest government on the planet, Drellic had learned the majority of what was taught at the institute in his pre-teen years. His fascination with what his people called, “the relevant sciences”, ended when he had learned all he felt he could by age twelve.

  Afterwards, merciless beatings and mockery from his classmates over the years had driven him to a very dark and aggressive place. It affected him so much that his newfound aggression could only be channeled by the thought of forfeiting his guaranteed academic scholarship, and joining Siren’s military.

  Drellic knew that the mere notion of him going to war against the insurgency, was enough to send his parents into early graves. But at times, the thought of avoiding another boring scientific lecture or debate eased his concerns about defying his parents.

  Once the professor steered the discussion towards the topic of the dark matter parasites, discovered by man nearly one billion years before, only centuries after they had first taken to the stars, Drellic had heard enough.

  He was about to abruptly rise from his seat and quickly glide out of the room; something he had been doing frequently lately, but his attention was almost instantly recaptured by a beautiful olive skinned girl with long dark hair, waiting impatiently on the other side of the lecture hall entrance.

  Drellic had only seen a combination of that exact skin tone and perfect long strands of shimmering black hair once before. Squinting through the glass windows on the wooden double doors to his right, he silently begged her to turn around and reveal her face; though he already knew it was Moya Fen; the enchantress he had only known for a few hours on Tyrran, ten years before.

  “What are the odds?” he thought to himself, as his eyes never left the backside of her formal looking one piece red dress and enticing athletic figure.

  Her arms were only exposed from just below her elbows, but even the mere shape and color of her hands helped Drellic confirm her identity.

  Even after a full decade had passed, as the gulf of space had stood between them, Drellic had no doubts. He had thought about those few hours with her every day, since his family was forced to leave their home planet.

  He couldn’t fathom how she came to be there, standing just a few feet away from him. But he wasn’t about to let such an opportunity pass him by. Drellic had learned at a very early age how unpredictable and unfortunate life could be. Knowing he might’ve never again had the chance, he slowly left his work station and started down his row of seating, towards the double doors.

  His heart was pounding harder with every step he took, as he found himself stepping on and crawling over people. It caused a loud commotion, instantly alerting the professor.

  “Drellic Kail!” the professor yelled across the room.

  Drellic heard his classmates quietly whispering and laughing amongst themselves at the mere mention of his name. It was a something he had grown quite accustomed to since he first started his education.

  But as luck would have it, the girl outside the lecture had also heard his name called out by the bitter old man. Drellic felt as though his heart was going to stop beating when he saw her turn around, through the glass.

  The moment her eyes met his, he knew he had been right all along. Though he was surprised to see that the sight of him, caused Moya to immediately lose control of her almost arrogant posture.

  She also began to lose her unique skin tone, appearing to grow pale and frozen in time. She didn’t have to say the words or even be in the same room as Drellic, for Drellic to know she had been thinking of him just as often as he had been thinking of her.

  “Back to your seat, Kail!” the professor yelled, more angrily that time.

  Startled, as he was shocked back into reality by the old man’s loud crackling voice, Drellic rolled his eyes, let out a long exhale and then dutifully returned to his seat.

  A moment later, the professor proceeded to the large, rectangular holographic chart behind him, where he used to an imprinting laser pointer to highlight the organic features on an enlarged model of a dark matter parasite.

  This gave Drellic one last opportunity to make eye contact with Moya, who had never taken her eyes off of him, since first noticing him. At first, Drellic couldn’t read her facial expression. He couldn’t decide if she was interested in reestablishing a connection with him or not. But the warm smile and hesitant wave she offered him through the glass shortly after, assured him that the fates had heard his prayers after all.

  At the same time, Morn was sitting patiently in Jin Callos’ office. The memory of the insect and the corresponding visions, had almost been completely depleted from his mind, but he still felt a haunting chill throughout his entire body, given the news he was preparing to deliver to the Prime Minister.

  After several minutes of hearing nothing but the creaking of the wooden floor boards beneath his trembling knees, Morn was greeted with his own sigh of relief, as Jin entered the room and sat behind his desk, facing him.

  “You’ve been very busy as of late, Kail,” Jin said with great concern. “Your recent absences are very unbecoming of you. Frankly, your entire attitude as of late has completely blindsided me. I never expected this from you, Morn.”

  “I know, sir,” Morn answered with a stutter. “But I have had good reason. I assure you. The threat is real and it is great.”

  “What is it that’s had you so worried these last several days, Master Kail?” Jin asked, sounding irritated. “Furthermore, what secrets would you dare keep from me, after everything I have done for you and your family? I have given you a new life of power and wealth in the wake of great tragedy. I only ask for the truth in return. No more equivocations, Kail.”

  “Very well, sir,” Morn hesitantly rasped. “After billions of years of great accomplishments, as well as great sacrifices, and nearly one billion years traversing this hollow galaxy of ours, I believe the end of mankind is rapidly approaching, and that there is very little we can do to stop it.”