by Mikayla Lane
“Hell, what if they’re kidnapping our hybrids to that world? What if Haruki is next?” Shane argued, throwing his hands in the air in frustration.
Mikal rubbed a hand over his face as he remembered Tristan’s warning that their father needed to stay out of this. If they dragged in all of his siblings, Grai would find out, and interfere like Tristan said he would. Mikal leveled a hard stare on Shane.
“You’re getting too wound up and need to calm yourself. If Haruki were in the danger you speak of, he would have told us. He’s not a fool and wouldn’t thank you for acting like he is,” Mikal warned.
“This is way above the four of us,” Gun called out from the pilot’s chair.
“I agree,” Mikal conceded. “But we don’t need everyone either. I think we should bring in Trick, Dread, Siggy, Luca, Grant, and Elias. We also need to make sure they don’t tell anyone else. The last thing we need is for Ainsley to get scared and decide to pop over to Haruki in the middle of a gun fight. Agreed?”
Shane seemed to calm down when Mikal mentioned the two family medics and nodded his head. Gun and Dante also agreed and Mikal began calling in the troops, hoping like hell he wouldn’t regret it later.
*****
“Oh, definitely. The percentages you called out on the oxygen levels are life sustaining,” one of the scientists called out from the tunnel.
Haruki grinned down at Deanna as she squeezed his arm in excitement.
“It can support life!” she said.
Haruki hadn’t doubted it but was glad at the confirmation. He’d been reading out the statistics noted on the pedestal regarding the Tri-Worlds and was more intrigued by the moment. Deanna and the scientists had taken notes and hung on his every word.
“So we know that this planet, what was it? Daetz? Was habitable at one time, but don’t know if it still is,” Harry asked from the tunnel.
“Yes, it’s Daetz,” Haruki confirmed. “Is it possible that this is real time information and not just a recording?”
That sparked a chorus of animated conversation between the scientists and Haruki assumed it was possible by the nods and smiles among the chattering group.
“I think they’re gearing up to tell you that anything is possible. We don’t have a damn clue what this place is capable of, but we should hear something any minute now about your message,” Dog said with a laugh, excitement shining in his dark eyes.
Haruki chuckled at the excitement and expectation that hung thick in the air. All in all, if he had to be stuck with a bunch of humans while figuring out a mystery of this magnitude, he was grateful it was this group.
He felt little fear from any of them, their entire focus was solely on figuring out the puzzle of the pyramid and the information they’d already gathered. He estimated them to range in age from their late 40s to early 70s and was impressed by their bravery and intelligence.
“Message has been received by . . . the Dawn Commander,” the automated voice said.
“It said he received the message,” Haruki translated, a little disappointed that there wasn’t more.
“It didn’t say if he read it? Just that he got it?” someone asked.
“That’s all it said,” Haruki replied, hating that everyone was so disappointed.
“Yeah, that means that someone is on the other end to get it,” Deanna said with a grin.
“Yeah,” someone repeated.
Just that quickly they were happy and excited again as they went over their notes on the smallest of the three worlds.
“Can you look at the largest planet now?” Harry asked.
Haruki smiled at the request, wondering when someone would move on to the other worlds. He was curious if they were habitable as well.
Everyone was jolted by a sudden scream echoing up the tunnel.
“Stay here,” Haruki said as he moved through the group and headed down the tunnel to see what happened.
The moment he ran outside the pyramid he was struck several times in the upper body. He looked down at himself in surprise and saw blood beginning to pour down his shirt.
“I got you fucker! Not so fucking badass now are you?” Mike taunted, pointing a rifle at Haruki.
“You’re going to die you bastard,” Haruki breathed out, falling to his knees.
“Not this time, you fucker!” Mike yelled out as reared his leg back and kicked Haruki into the dirt.
Deanna ran out of the pyramid screaming and ran to Haruki, covering his body with her own. Harry and Dog stormed out behind her and were immediately stopped by the weapons aimed at them by Mike’s men.
“Get the fuck over there and drag that bastard with you!” Mike screamed at them as he gestured to where he’d been tied up in front of the mess hall.
Dog and Harry kneeled down next to Haruki and Deanna.
“Hang in there, boy, we’ll figure something out,” Dog whispered, wincing at the blood covering Haruki’s shirt and the paleness of his face.
“We’ll be as gentle as we can,” Harry added before they each took one of Haruki’s arms and pulled him over to the now empty chairs.
“You son of a bitch!” Deanna screamed as she flew at Mike with her fists flying.
She landed several blows, including one to his groin before she was dragged away by his men and dumped near Haruki.
“Deanna,” Haruki whispered, struggling to breathe.
“Get Dr. Jack,” Deanna said, looking up at Harry and Dog as she crawled to Haruki.
“He doesn’t need a Doctor for a body bag,” Mike said with a sneer before he hauled off and punched Deanna in the face. “I owe you bitch.”
Deanna looked up at him with blazing eyes, ignoring the blood trickling from the corner of her split lip.
“You’ll be the one who needs the body bag,” she promised.
Mike only laughed and turned towards the pyramid.
“Go inside and get them all out here!” he ordered.
Deanna slowly lifted up Haruki’s shirt and gasped at the numerous bullet holes in his chest. The worst was on his side and bleeding the most. She pulled off the bandana wrapped around her ponytail and pressed it into his side.
“I’m so sorry, honey. You’re bleeding so bad,” she whispered when Haruki gasped.
“It’s OK,” he said, patting her hand.
“Don’t worry asshole, you’ll be dead by the time your friends get here. See, I figure if your friends are like you, then I don’t need you alive anymore. We’ll just keep killing them until one of them agrees to help,” Mike said with a sneer.
“They’ll never help you,” Haruki whispered, trying to sit up.
“I’m sure one of them will, but it won’t be in time to save you or your whore,” Mike snapped back.
Haruki knew he was in deep trouble as he contacted Mikal through the shengari’.
“Brother, I appear to have badly miscalculated and really hope this is one time you didn’t listen to me and are right outside the door,” he said.
“We are 20 minutes out. What has happened? Are you OK?” Mikal asked, concern evident in his voice.
“I fear that may not be soon enough. Take care of my daughter, and save my mate and the humans,” Haruki whispered as black spots danced behind his eyes.
“No! You bastard! Where are you? Give me something to go on so I can be there in minutes!” Mikal roared at Haruki, knowing he could reach him faster if he rode the wind instead of the transport.
“Follow the energy, it will lead you right to me,” Haruki said and started fading in and out as it became harder to breathe.
He barely noted Mikal’s roar of pain in his mind before his attention was drawn to Deanna and the scientists that were being forced out of the pyramid and pushed to the ground near him.
“Leave them alone!” Haruki shouted at Mike, but it came out as a whisper.
Suddenly gasps and screams of fright were heard, and Haruki struggled to see what had everyone so scared and cowering on the ground.
“Who th
e fuck are you? You better fucking answer me, or I’m going to blow you the fuck away!” Mike screamed, his voice shaking in fear.
Everyone backed away, leaving Haruki with a clear view of a large man, the size of his father, storming out of the pyramid. He had shoulder length dark hair, deep blue eyes that appeared to glow, and was loaded down with multiple weapons, some of which Haruki didn’t recognize. He was dressed in a white tunic emblazoned with a red triangle and exuded an aura of power Haruki had never encountered before, and he pulled Deanna down beside him as the man spoke.
“I am Sotier Alderic Du’ Castine, leader of the Dranovian Order of the Tri-Worlds, Guardian of the Rituals of Tongerno, and Commander Priest of the Dawn. Release my brethren and his mate or face the wrath and power of the Dranovians through me!”
The last was said in such a booming voice that everyone but Haruki tried to cover their ears. Alderic threw out his arms and lightning arced between his outstretched hands, fed by a stream of electricity coming from the capstone of the pyramid. Haruki watched in fascination as the power built until it formed a ball almost as large as the man making it.
Most of Mike’s men tried to scatter in fear, dropping their weapons as they ran for shelter from the intimidating man and the power he was displaying.
Others began firing on the stranger, the bullets visibly melting before they could penetrate the powerful barrier surrounding Alderic.
“Fools!” Alderic roared.
Haruki stared in awe as Alderic’s hands penetrated the electrical ball and the moment his palms touched, the energy flew away from him in a massive wave, striking everything in its path. The humans dropped where they stood. Those who’d tried to run away were struck down in mid-stride until there was no left standing but Haruki, Deanna, and the stranger, Alderic.
“Who are you?” Haruki asked the swiftly approaching man.
Alderic stopped dead in his tracks and tilted his head to the side, a look of confusion on his face.
“Did I not speak your language correctly? I believe I did,” Alderic muttered to himself.
“Where are you from?” Haruki said on a moan as he prayed the man was a friend.
“I believe I covered that as well,” Alderic said, very confused. “Do you not understand the words I am speaking? Am I not speaking English? Do you speak something other than English?”
Haruki was frustrated, in pain, and desperately needed to know if the man was a danger to his mate.
“Why the hell are you here?” Haruki whispered as loudly as he could.
“Ah, I see. It has been long since our peoples have communicated. I came when the portal between our worlds began operating under Dranovian control, and I received a message of greeting. It was a human, named Dale, who made me fear for the Dranovian using the power so I came to offer assistance and to welcome your society back to the Order,” Alderic explained with a broad grin, assuming they would understand what he was saying.
“We don’t have time for this!” Deanna said as she tried to staunch the blood pouring from Haruki’s side. “Can you help him?”
Alderic looked down at Deanna before turning to Haruki with a puzzled expression.
“Why did you allow them to harm you? Why haven’t you healed yourself?” Alderic chastised as he knelt at Haruki’s side. “Your ignorance of your own power is an embarrassment to the Order and must be corrected immediately.”
Haruki just shook his head, the blood loss causing him to start blacking out. He fought the darkness, still unsure if the stranger was a friend or not, even though he knew the man was a Dranovian.
“Move your hands, mate of the Warrior,” Alderic whispered to Deanna as he closed his eyes.
Deanna gasped as Alderic’s hands began to glow a bright blue and she grabbed Haruki’s hand.
Haruki stifled a sharp breath of surprise when the energy reached his stomach and chest, instantly taking away the pain of the bullet wounds. Seconds later, he was able to take his first deep breath since he’d been shot and he looked up at Alderic in curiosity.
“Who are you?” Haruki whispered as Alderic pulled away from him.
Deanna lifted up Haruki’s shirt and burst into tears at the completely healed wounds. She let Haruki pull her close to his chest and hold her.
“I believe we have much to discuss, my friend,” Alderic said cryptically as he stood and looked around at the unconscious humans. “We appear to have several problems to correct before we can formally align our worlds again.”
“You came from the Tri-Worlds?” Deanna asked, drying her tears.
“I came from Dranar, the stronghold of the Dawn and where the Relics of Tongerno lie protected,” Alderic said, looking at them in puzzlement. “Do you not know of the Tri-Worlds and the source of your power?”
Haruki sat up and looked up at Alderic’s extended hand. He took it and let the man help pull him to his feet before he reached down to assist Deanna.
“Oh no! Harry! Dog and the others!” Deanna screamed as she ran to the first fallen man she came to.
“Are they alive?” Haruki demanded, his eyes blazing at Alderic.
“Of course, they are alive. They’re human, they are only asleep for a while,” Alderic said with a grin.
“How did you get here?” Haruki asked, wondering where to even begin with his questions.
Alderic looked ready to speak when his eyes narrowed, and he pushed Haruki behind him while he erected a glowing blue barrier around them, including the unconscious humans.
“Reveal yourself!” Alderic boomed just as the regular door leading into the pyramid was broken down.
Seconds later, Mikal was standing beside Alderic with a blade to his neck.
“Release my brother,” Mikal growled.
“Wait! No!” Haruki shouted, waving his arms as some of his brothers and Tezarians began filing into the mountain with their guns drawn.
Alderic moved with a blurring speed and threw Mikal to the ground drawing his own blade and placing it at Mikal’s neck. He glanced at Haruki and grinned.
“I thought your ignorance to be because you were the sole Dranovian, now I see there are more fools than you to teach properly,” Alderic said with a chuckle before sheathing his sword and reaching out a hand to Mikal.
Mikal disappeared and reappeared next to Haruki, his eyes trained on the strange man.
“Oh, now that is a useful talent!” Alderic proclaimed when he saw Mikal disappear. “You aren’t a normal Dranovian, but certainly a welcome addition to the Order!”
“He’s one of us!” Haruki called out to his nervous siblings.
“He ain’t one of mine,” Trick said, drawing Alderic’s attention.
“How right you are!” Alderic replied and began tracing something in the air. “It’s time for the children to go to sleep now so the adults can talk.”
Moments later, blue sparks shot from the air where Alderic had been tracing and struck Trick and Dread in the chest, dropping them to the ground.
“Fuck this!” Shane exclaimed, aiming his rifle at Alderic and pulling the trigger.
Chapter Twelve
Haruki tried to grab Alderic to push him away from the bullets, but the man was already out of his reach. Mikal disappeared and began to reappear in front of Shane, but Alderic was there first and had Shane suspended in the air by his fist around his throat. Grant and Luca ran to Dread and Trick to make sure they were all right.
“You are young, so I will forgive you for your rash and immature reaction. However, if you attempt it again, my wrath will be swift, and I will show you just how much you do not know of your own power,” Alderic growled at Shane, shaking him in his fist like a ragdoll before putting him back on the ground.
He turned to the others with a broad grin and clapped his hands together as if he hadn’t just beat Mikal, their Windwalker brother, to Shane and displayed a power they’d never witnessed before.
“Now! We must begin your tutelage immediately! Wait! This is not all of you. I se
nse other Dranovians on this world. Why aren’t they here, at your only operational base of power?” Alderic asked, looking at the brothers for an answer.
“What the fuck are you?” Shane whispered, looking nervously at his brothers.
Alderic turned to Shane so quickly that he jumped back, ready to defend himself which only caused Alderic to laugh and turn so he could look at all of the brothers.
“It is amusing and yet dismaying to know that you do not recognize your own, nor do you understand who and what you face,” Alderic said. “I am Sotier Alderic Du’ Castine of the Tri-Worlds.”
“Is that supposed to mean something to us? Cause I gotta tell you, buddy, right now, you aren’t looking like any friend of ours,” Elias snapped.
“Dog isn’t breathing! Someone help him, please!” Deanna screamed out.
Grant and Luca ran over to her to check on the downed human when Alderic appeared at her side first. Haruki pulled her away from Dog as Alderic kneeled next to his body.
“By the relics of Tongerno, give me the power to see,” Alderic whispered.
He raised his right hand just as an arc of golden light shot from the capstone into his palm. Alderic laid his other hand on Dog. Deanna gasped when Dog’s body began to glow.
“Ah, his heart is weak. He’s been put under too much stress recently,” Alderic murmured to himself.
“Can you fix him?” Deanna whispered.
Alderic sent her a brilliant smile.
“I would not be the Sotier if I could not,” he said, then raised his other hand, catching the beam of golden light with it.
Alderic closed his eyes and began a chant that the brothers had never heard before, although they felt as if they knew it. Moments later Alderic opened his eyes with a smile, moved away from Dog and stood.
“He will be all right now and will live a long life,” Alderic assured Deanna.
“What did you do to him?” Grant asked in shock as the older human suddenly began breathing on his own.
“He’s asleep like Dread and Trick,” Luca assured Mikal, who was looking nervously at the fallen Tezarians.