The Battle E-Book

Dormaine G

• Herausgeber: Next Chapter
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Connor has trained and shed blood to protect Earth. Her enemies want war, and Connor's blood is the key to the survival of Ether's last descendant.

Against her friends' council, Connor joins forces with her former adversary, Ronin. And as the danger intensifies, so does their bond.

For Ronin, the only way to survive is to kill. Planning to overthrow his father with Connor's help, he brings her to the very definition of hell: his world.

Despite his unyielding, merciless ways, Connor has started to thaw his frozen heart. But how far will Connor need to go to survive?

Leseprobe

The Battle

Connor Chronicles Book III

Dormaine G

Copyright (C) 2017 Dormaine G

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2019 by Next Chapter

Published 2019 by Next Chapter

Cover art by Cover Mint

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

Acknowledgments

I want to say thank you to my husband, Kenny, for all his patience and understanding. Without him I would not be grounded.

I need to thank my bother-in-law, Mathew, for his continued support and his eye for detail. Without him Madame Lilly would not be what it is today.

My good friend and author Janice G. Ross as she has helped me through the rough patches and has kept me moving forward. Without her guidance, I would not have strived as hard.

A special thanks to Next Chapter Publishing but especially Miika because he has spent long hours scrutinizing over my books. I appreciate his patience and understanding. Because of him I am proud of my work.

Chapter 1

Connor

Ronin gripped me firmly through the gushing wind that pushed me backward. I had to shut my tear-stained eyes against the sudden light that blinded us. It felt as if Earth was spiraling out of control behind us and I was losing my footing on reality. I had no control over my body when a sucking force took hold, cascading me onward. Blackness took over, compressing my body so profoundly, I thought my insides were going to concave—but, just as quickly as the pressure began, it stopped, and suddenly, a new world appeared.

Ether—a foreign world that might have been, in fact, my final resting place.

We touched down in a dreary wet alleyway and my mind reeled from such a rush. I fell against a building and Ronin caught me.

“Are you all right?” His eyes narrowed, examining my lack of coordination. I responded with a nod but my head felt like it was going to split in two. “The first portal jump is always the hardest, but it gets easier,” he explained, but his words did nothing for my dizziness. He helped me lean against a building, then worked his way closer to the street.

I rested my head against the cool brick and took a long breath, then choked on a disgusting odor that caught in my throat. It smelled like a garbage truck. I covered my nose, not believing how horrible Ether reeked.

“Over here.” Ronin motioned for me to come closer. After straightening my shaking body, I wiped my mouth and walked closer to Ronin, a guy who not too long ago had been my enemy. He was the prince of Ether; he lived here but didn't seem too sure of our present situation. His hand grabbed mine again and I took it for no other reason than to gain stability.

We hid behind a large blue metal box that also smelled and waited for something but I had no idea what. It was night time here, as in Earth, or early morning—I had no idea about the interplanetary time difference. But no matter, the dark, purplish sky that released its mist and rain did nothing to protect us against the muggy weather.

From what I could see, people hurried to wherever they were going, probably to get out of this heat and yet, strangely, they were covered in mostly leather. I leaned forward to get a better view of the Ether but Ronin eased me back and shook his head.

Again, I rested my back against the cool, comforting wall, anxious to merge in with the crowd, but Ronin kept checking a device on his wrist. I glanced down at my own wrist and remembered the bracelet he had given me a few weeks earlier. It had saved my life; only I hadn't known that when I'd put it on—or, should I say, when he'd slapped it on my wrist without my consent. My chest, being a traitor to my mind, felt the loss. Then I thought of my mother and wondered if she'd survived. My heart sank from thinking of our last moments together. It was like it used to be before the fights and the lies. Knowing she was upset with me right before she was attacked forced me to hold back a gush of emotions. The only consolation of possibly never seeing them again was knowing I was doing this for my family and the people back on Earth. If we could stop Monlow from attacking Earth, then all of this wouldn't be in vain.

“It's time.” Ronin shook me out of my nostalgia. “Keep your head low and stay calm or the beings here will sense what you are.” His tone was stern and his stare was stony.

“All right,” I said, put off by his cold mood. Not that he was the warm and friendly type, but he seemed eerily dark.

“Let's go,” Ronin ordered and tugged on my arm. His glower informed me that what we were about to do was dangerous but I had no clue why.

I pulled him back. “What's with the serious looks?” I asked him.

“You can't sense the abnormals—what you call nunans?”

“Yes, but we've faced those before on Earth.”

“Not like the ones here.” He glanced out into the street.

He was right. My body temperature rose in anticipation of an encounter from a nunan. After taking in a long breath, I attempted to subdue my anxiety. As he pulled up his hood, I placed mine upon my head. Although I did not have leather on, I figured my dark denim and hoodie should blend in well enough. Honestly, I had no other choice.

We eased our way out of our temporary safe haven and kept our heads low. Ronin made sure to grip my hand firmly. Every time we bumped into anyone, he gripped it even tighter. He made sure I was close to his side, every step of the way, as we weaved through a crowd that showed no mercy against anyone's shoulders. My nerves kept firing and this reminded me that we were among more than just humans—not that I could forget. My tension lit up. The wetness against my face helped cool me a bit, but not much.

I felt like I was his child. I hated it. But as much as I didn't like the feeling, his tight grip helped keep me grounded. I wanted a fight against whatever scurried next to us. It was my nature.

Actually, I didn't know what this planet consisted of but it was made clear to me that the people, who looked just like me on the outside, were different somehow, like abnormals, and they were in abundance. I tried not to look up but my nerves tingled and the more I looked around, the more others became aware of me. A few even stopped and gestured towards me.

“Keep your head low,” Ronin mumbled under his breath, hastening his steps. I took a long breath, then lowered my head back down. I could not see much of the scenery except the sidewalk and others' boots that had pounded a lot of pavement. But so far, from what I'd seen, the place appeared to be overcrowded and dirty.

By the time we crossed the sixth street, the crowd had thinned, but I was still on edge. Now knowing Ronin was San, his senses must have been amplified, too. It was clear that we needed to get to where we were going and fast. Actually, I didn't know where we were going. I put a lot of trust in Ronin and I hadn't second guessed him once. What choice did I have?

“Just a little more to go.” He looked back at me with a tense gaze.

We stopped in front of an old boarded up green building, which looked like an old complex of apartments, stacked incredibly high. He unlatched the gate and turned left. We cut across wet yellow grass and a lot of trash build up, hurrying down a corridor lit with flickering yellow lights. Half the fixtures were hanging on for dear life. Straight ahead was a dark parking lot and I hoped a car would be waiting for us. Every nerve in me was now on fire.

We made it halfway and I yanked Ronin back.

“What?” he asked, then looked to the right.

The door burst open and a strange male stepped out and pointed a purple weapon at us. He was a nunan. I'd never seen his kind before.

“Ronin,” said the tall skinny being with a lizard face. His pinkish-reddish skin stretched tight against rounded cheeks and his hands were large and scaly.

“Shanuk,” Ronin addressed the male, easing his way in front of us.

“Where ya been?” The being spoke with a harsh accent that was almost hard to understand. His long, thin tongue didn't help his speech, either.

“Where have I been?” Ronin repeated. “Who are you to question me?” Ronin stepped in close and they almost touched noses. Shanuk stepped back. Ronin may have been my age or close to it, but he spoke like he was much older. I've always noticed that about him.

“Who's she?” he asked, trying to peer around Ronin who was blocking a full view of me.

Shanuk stepped back again. “You know, Ronin?” He chuckled but there was nothing funny about this situation or the tension. “Monlow is very worried about you.” The male fidgeted with his weapon but did not lower it.

“No, he's worried about everyone, including you.” Ronin poked him in the chest that was draped with a long burgundy cloth-like jacket. “I just came down here to get some Elonium fresh air; what's it to you? I didn't know I had to run my schedule by my father's drudges.”

Shanuk's yellow slits rolled over whatever part of me they could see as he sucked his front jagged tooth. “So many pretty girls at the palace and you come slumming. Tsk tsk. She must be worth the stench of this place. Let me see her,” Shanuk ordered, but before Ronin could protest, two blue goons with elongated features appeared. One stood behind Shanuk and the other behind me. No wonder my nerves were lit up. We'd probably been followed for some time.

“No, what you're going to do is let us pass and mind your place.” Ronin slowly eased forward but stopped quickly. He glanced back at me and the message was received loud and clear, especially when I heard a weapon charge.

“Don't make me use it,” Shanuk threatened him, although his hands shook.

“It will be your last regret,” Ronin said.

“Watch out!” I warned Ronin, then kicked the weapon out of Shanuk's hands. The burst of light shot off in the hallway, taking out an already failing light.

As Ronin walked the wall to take on both creatures, I rolled over onto the damp concrete and tripped the big blue creature behind us. The huge lug was too busy staring at Ronin to even notice what I was doing. Big does not equal smart. He hit the ground with a thud and bumped his head. I snatched his weapon when his arms flew up but realized I didn't have a clue how to use it. There was no finger trigger or button.

In the split second it took me to notice this difficulty, I looked back at Ronin to ask but he had Shanuk wrapped around his neck, while the other blue creature was trying to get out of Ronin's leg lock.

Peering back at the contraption, I realized that my blue creature was up on four legs. Its back was severely arched, exposing protruding vertebrae. In moments, it grew immensely in size and its fangs dripped some sort of foul green liquid.

“Holy crap!”

The creature yanked the device out from my hand and smacked me in the gut with its tail. I flew back and hit a window. My arm broke through the glass but, surprisingly, I wasn't cut.

I looked over at the four-legged creature's open mouth and saw its neck jerk back awkwardly. A noise released from its throat right when it hacked its slimy mucus at me. I dove away and noticed the cement warp where the slime landed. When the four-legged creature scampered sideways towards me, I quickly lifted my hand and sent it flying back to the gate. Surprisingly, the thing landed a lot farther way than I would've expected.

Is it possible that I'm stronger here or is the gravity lighter?

After it rolled back up, it rushed towards me a lot faster so I yanked a long, slick vine from the ground and whipped its back with it. The creature let out a loud animalistic sound at me and jumped over in my direction. I leaped out of the way but it quickly reverted back to two legs and tossed me against the building with one of its elongated hands. I landed on my neck.

Rolling over in the muck, I grabbed the slick vine again and lassoed it around the creature's neck. But instead of the beast reaching out for me, it tugged on the vine.

I wrapped the slip around my hand and held it taut. Placing a foot on the creature's chest, I choked it. It clawed, gagged, and kicked violently but I kept my foot in place until it passed out. But even then, I held on, making sure it wasn't faking.

When I was certain, I let go of the vine in relief, but that was short lived when alarm took over. The slippery weed unraveled itself from around the creature's neck and elevated upward. It had a mouth—one that opened wide, revealing more than twenty sharpened teeth. It slithered so quickly that I fell back and only managed to crawl away. I reached for a stone but a shot fired and blasted the serpent away. Ronin held up the weapon I could not manipulate. I looked back at my so-called vine and kicked it away from me.

Ronin walked over to the blue creature and bent down next to its still body. “Next time, just use the Taser.”

“I would have if I knew how to use it,” I said and stood to wipe myself off.

He stepped back and pumped the handle underneath, shooting the other creature once in the head and another time in the abdomen. I looked up at him in shock. “We leave no witnesses, Connor. No one can know that you're here,” he said, then tossed the gun in the bushes. “Let's go.” I was not innocent to harming another life but he seemed so cold, so detached from what he'd just done.

Back down the hallway, we hurried and stepped over lizard eyes and his goon. Both of them lay unmoving, their necks twisted unnaturally. Their lifeless body positioning was disturbing. I faced away, thinking, did we have a choice?

We reached the end of the corridor and took a quick right. By a metal fence, we squatted low as Ronin pressed buttons on what appeared to be a very advanced watch. But not two seconds later, a bright light shone above. I covered my face from the whirlwind it caused but was more in awe of the fact that a car hovered over us.

Upon descent, it cut off its lights and just hovered. We ran over and Ronin lifted me up by my waist, pitched me inside, then jumped in behind me.

I peered back at him, annoyed at having been tossed in like that. “My bad, but we don't have time for it to touch down or wait for the hover lift.”

After cutting him a curt glance, I got on my knees and gazed out the tinted window. I forgot all about him during our ascension and was utterly amazed that I actually found myself in a flying car.

“Take a seat. The ride can get bumpy,” Ronin said as I sat across from him. I kept looking between him and the window. Something about him was off, but when blood seeped through his shirt, I knelt in front of him.

“You're hurt.”

He covered his shirt up with his jacket and glanced over at me. I forced his hand and jacket away and lifted his shirt. He was sliced on his right side, through his rib cage. Lowering his shirt back down, he grunted. “No wonder.”

“No wonder?” I repeated. “What does that mean?”

He ignored my question and pointed under the seat. “Grab a red aid kit and take out the foam. It will help with cutting down on the blood loss.”

“What?” I said, feeling under the seat and grabbing the box. I opened it up but saw nothing that could possibly make a foamy substance. He obviously saw my puzzled face when he pointed to a flat silver round canister. When he bent the thing, it made a popping sound and grew in size.

“Twist it open and apply the material on the wound.” He sounded so unruffled compared to my ever-growing panic. He did not appear well at all. His skin had already gone pale and felt clammy to the touch, all just from a knife wound. I applied the pink and white foam as instructed onto his cut. It adhered to his skin, sealing the wound.

Once fully covered, he grabbed for a cloth but I slapped his hand away. He looked at me in surprise. “I've got it. Just sit still,” I ordered. I applied the cloth and kept my hand there for pressure.

“More pressure.” He pushed my hand down and shifted in his seat. He was in pain. “Normally, the foam would be enough, but for this this kind of wound I'll need you to keep steady pressure until we get to where we're going.” It sounded as if he was becoming short of breath so he laid his head back on the seat.

“Yeah, where exactly is that?” I wanted to know, tired of being left in the dark.

“My place.”

I turned back to his wound, feeling some sort of relief knowing where we were going, even though he could be lying and this might be a trap. We could be on our way to turning me over to his father. I shook off the negative thoughts and refused to let worry creep into my thoughts. It was too late, anyway. I would just fight as I always did if it came to that.

“It looks more like a knife wound than a Taser wound. Not that I'm an expert but I've seen enough knife wounds lately to know what one looks like.” Ronin did not respond but just rested his head back on the seat and it seemed as if he was going to pass out. “You don't look so good. How deep did they cut you?” I asked.

“It's not the depth of the wound that I'm concerned with but the poison encased tip left inside me. It's done on purpose… it slowly releases a toxin.” He gripped the seat as I applied more pressure to stop the trickle of blood.

“What kind of poison, Ronin?”

“The kind you don't ever want in your system. If it stays in too long, then I will die. You're going to need to remove the tip of the blade from inside me.”

“Me? I'm no doctor.”

“You are today.” He grunted.

“Don't you have a doctor on staff for emergencies?”

“Yes, but Monlow may have gotten to him. We don't know who to trust; that is why we trust no one.” He gripped my arm and sat up. “You understand? No one but us and the ones we know for sure who want to get rid of Monlow. Okay?”

“Yes…yes, okay. Now sit. Lean back.” I removed his hand as he fell back further onto the seat.

“I'm going to close my eyes for a minute. The car will take us home. Wake me when we get there. That was the last thing he said before passing out.

All I could think of was, how did we get this far? And, Ronin might not even survive. If something were to happen to him, as hard as that pill was to swallow, how would I get home? Screw that; if this all went up in flames, I would find a way home and we'd just do things the San way.

I observed his chest rise and fall more frequently as if he was not getting a full breath. Beads of sweat encased his head and his color turned sickly. Every so often, he would adjust in his seat but I held the pressure.

As soon as the car touched down, Ronin instinctively woke, jolting up and wincing as he did. He lifted his shirt and the wound area was both black and bloody. He lowered the material down and held onto the foamy mess.

He pressed a button on the car and the door lifted up to a forest. It was pitch black outside; not even the car lights shined. It was more of a purple-reddish color that greeted us as we eased out of the vehicle. Ronin tried to walk by himself but I grabbed onto him and, at first, he seemed uncertain of my help, then gave in when I didn't let go. Letting others help—a concept I'm sure he wasn't too familiar with.

We passed numerous enormous trees, the largest I'd ever seen. They seemed to reach the stars. Even in the dark of night, their pink and red colors shone brightly. Little winged creatures fluttered above and they seemed to escort us, guiding the way to his home. But I'm sure they were just following, curious about us.

Eventually, the ground angled downward, which proved a little difficult for Ronin to manage, and although he did it without a grunt, his face betrayed him. Once we made it to level ground again, he gripped the closest tree and stopped to rest.

He did not say anything when I asked, “Are you all right?” Stupid question because I knew he was not. I just didn't know what else to say. He faced the ground and nodded.

Eventually, he looked up and searched around. I did the same and took note of the size of his home. Being too focused on getting to safety, I hadn't paid attention to it, but the sight of it now left me speechless. His place was massive and in all rights, it was truly a palace. There were people outside, uniformed guards with weapons actually, and I wondered if they had been placed there to protect Ronin or keep him in.

Ronin mumbled, “This way,” bringing me out of my state of wonder, and nodded to the left. This time, he reached out for me to assist without hesitation. He was obviously feeling worse.

About fifty feet to our left, he knelt down and held onto his wounded side, then gripped shrubbery and removed it from the ground, revealing what I could only assume was an entryway that led to a secret chamber. I was right. There sat a metal door with two round handles.

“I had it made a long time ago when I first moved here in case of imminent threat, but now it's proven a necessary evil. Very few people know of its existence.” His brows scrunched as if to warn me not to tell anyone about it.

Ronin grabbed hold of one handle but I bent down quickly to retract his hand. He threw me an odd look as I pulled open the heavy doors without lifting a finger. He nodded a thank you and we crept inward down the dusty, cemented stairs, which led into dimness. A faint yellow light glowed ahead, imbedded within the stone walls, but it provided very little help. We both stopped at the bottom of the stairs and I listened out but heard no one nearby. I shook my head, telling him so, and onward we walked. I shut the door, encasing us in a sort of tomb-like environment.

From his pocket, Ronin pulled out something round and tossed it in the air. It lit up and stayed no more than five feet in front of us. “It's a boun…umm, a levitating light,” he explained before I asked.

He guided our direction as I helped with our steps. It was a coexisting relationship at this point. Neither would make it far without the other. The place was a damp, dimly lit maze but at least the boun helped when it came to needing to see where we were going. We came to three forks and even Ronin second guessed himself at this juncture. The toxin was messing with his mind. He kept wiping the sweat from his forehead and trying to control his breathing but he was suffering. We trekked down a few more halls until Ronin fell against the stone wall and gasped in order to catch his breath. The poison was winning.

I waited for him to catch his breath and, when he shut his lids, I shook him. “Ronin!” His lids jolted open, startled. Without a word, he pushed off the wall and once again, we helped each other. We'd been down here so long, I wondered if we'd ever get out.

“Are we lost?” I asked while helping him against the cool stone again. “Ronin, you have to focus. I need you to stay with me.” I shook the crap out of him. “I would levitate you but you'd probably pass out and I need your mind to keep working.”

He bent over to take a few long breaths, then straightened up and braced himself against the wall. “This way.” He pointed to the left.

We headed forward and up a ramp to a metal door that eased open to a small, quaint, red velvet sitting room, with cushions on a long lounge chair. The door proved to be the back side of a bookshelf—how fitting. I quietly shut it and we headed out of a tall wooden door leading to a spacious hallway. In the middle, stood a huge opening where you could peer over to see downstairs.

It was so peaceful and I wondered if we were the only ones there. I listened carefully and faintly heard people talking and moving throughout the place, but not close by. After walking about twenty feet, we took a left through double doors which led to a foyer with two doors. We chose the one straight ahead and entered one of the largest rooms I had ever seen.

His bedroom — a magnificent sea of turquoise, black and ivory. Standing by the door, I took in the extravagance that overwhelmed me.

“Connor,” Ronin's raspy voice called me as he struggled to his bed without my support. “There is a multicolored wooden chest hidden under the sink behind the fifth tile in the lavatory. Can you retrieve it, as well as some towels?”

After he pointed in the direction of the room, I hurried up. Of course, there were three sinks in the bathroom. I just picked one, then another—on my second attempt, I found the bag, grabbed plenty of towels behind a curtain, and headed back out.

I stopped short. A chill washed over me. Ronin lay on his dark oceanic blue covers awaiting my return. His blade lay at his side. It reminded me of a time when dead men were sent out to sea upon a bed of wood with their swords in arms.

“Connor,” Ronin called to me again and I gathered my thoughts. “I'm going to need you to clean the area, cut the wound open an inch with that blade.” He pointed to a small cutting device on his night stand next to his leather belt. “Dig in with your finger until you find the tip, then pull it out with pliers. Immediately throw it in the liquid jar with the plyers.” I noted a small jar with clear liquid on the chest and placed it on the nightstand. “Do not touch it after you pull it out. Remember to put it in the jar. Afterwards, stitch me up and inject my left arm with a dose of meds.” He explained my expected duties while he sluggishly rummaged through the chest I just handed him. He removed the scissors, then started to cut his own shirt upward.

“Ronin, I'm not afraid of blood or anything but you know I've never done…”

“No one has ever done anything until they do it for the first time.” He coughed and his scrunched-up face made it clear that staying conscious was unbearable. “You can do this, Connor.” His eyes pleaded with me. “Hurry before I pass out again.”

“Okay.” It was all I could say. The poison worked fast. He'd made a drastic change from the car to right now. Ronin was dying.

When I got everything ready and put on my gloves, Ronin took a tube-like canister and slammed it into his right thigh. An exhaust sound released. “Antibiotic,” he answered at my amazed expression. “Remember, use it again afterwards.” He placed his leather belt in his mouth and bit down like in the olden days. I didn't ask about pain reliever because I already knew Ronin would not take it. I could not help but watch him maneuver in agony. Sometimes, Ronin reminded me of an old soul.

I swallowed hard, took a nice long breath then did as he instructed. I took the blade to his already red and tender skin but, when he winced, I hesitated, like he'd done to me when a branch was sticking out of my leg. He nodded for me to continue. “I need you to hurry. Don't stop for anything.”

“Okay.” I stood from my seat next to him on the bed and sliced up, giving my right index finger room to fit in as he bit down on the belt and gripped the covers. I dove deeper inside him in search of the poisonous tip. Blood seeped out the cut the farther I went. I ventured slowly so as to not slice myself with the same poison.

At last, I felt an odd shaped object that did not feel like bone—round with a sharp edge. He winced when I moved it.

Why doesn't he pass out already? How much torture can a person take?

I just looked at the perspiration traveling down his face and his breathing was worsening, but I ignored him, needing to get this done. Picking up the small surgical pliers, I dug them downward, where I had left my index finger. I reached for the object and tugged on it, but it would not give. It was firmly planted in there. I twisted and turned the pliers and Ronin's eyes rolled up in his head. He finally passed out.

I had to use all my strength to pull it out and when I did, I immediately held it away from my face. Ronin said it was just a tip but it looked more like a bio-organic weapon. It had thin metallic legs and its slit for a mouth squealed in my grip. Its four thin extremities reached for me as its round belly swished around with black poisonous liquid. I was grateful Earth was not this far advanced yet. Remembering the jar, I placed the contraption in it and it screamed while it sizzled. I held up the jar to watch it fight to climb out but its extremities were melting.

Turning back to Ronin, I applied pressure but every so often turned back to the poisonous object that still had fight in it. The liquid was turning murky as the poison released into it. Refocusing on Ronin, I observed that there wasn't an overabundance of blood, so that meant the weapon hadn't nicked a major artery or vein.

Thank you, Mom, for being a practitioner. It helped.

After a few minutes, I stitched him up as neatly as possible, cleaned around the wound, and applied a bandage. The last step was to inject him with more medication in his right shoulder. He didn't even flinch.

I sat back down, bloody gloves and all, and watched him breathe. The little monster in the jar no longer moved. I took a long exhale, appreciating the fact that the weapon was dead.

After a minute of calming my shakes, I took his bloody shirt and towels from around him and hid them behind the curtain in case someone came in and saw them. After cleaning the bloody utensils in the bathroom, I laid them out to dry. That took about fifteen minutes; then, I headed out to the room to check on him. He was still asleep. His chest rose and fell more restfully now—a good sign.

I walked over to his huge, semi-frosted covered window and was able to see out. Lights lit up the nearby area and, from what I could see, the groundskeeper stayed busy. There was a heck of a lot more greenery than where we portal jumped.

In the middle of the estate, I spotted an enormous, glossy, metallic water fountain with the Ether military crest, the Vuszen, in the middle. The creature stood on its wolf hind legs as its eagle wings spread wide, its head held high. Water spewed from its open beak into the fountain below, surrounded by that same glossy material wall. Around the jet, a spread of grass covered the whole area. Each bush was cut in the shape of different animals. Different colored flowers decorated the garden with benches and steps leading down into where I could no longer see.

Guards stood at several key points holding unique weapons or at least ones I was not familiar with. Some looked over-sized, strapped over their backs, and others were small, gripped tightly in their hands.

The beautiful purple-red sky now had a hint of yellow in it. There seemed to be another gigantic planet hovering so close, you could touch it.

Will it one day fall on Ether?

“Connor.” The sound of my name brought me back down from the stars. Ronin blinked his eyes open. In only a matter of an hour or so, his coloring appeared healthier.

“Yes.” He reached his right arm out to me, and I walked over to him. “Are you in pain?”

He didn't answer me but instead grabbed my waist, lifted me over him, and positioned me next to him. It happened so fast. I didn't expect it or for him to be so strong. He rolled over and hugged me from behind, whispering, “Thank you.” Then, he drifted back to sleep.

I stiffened up, unsure of what to do—guilty. Never in a million years would I have imagined being here on Ether, let alone through Ronin's help. I thought about getting up once he was asleep but it felt so good being next to him. Before I knew it, my mind drifted off into slumber, knowing that, for this brief moment in time, we were safe.

* * *

“Finally. I thought you'd never wake up,” Ronin said when I stretched out on what had to be the comfiest bed I'd ever slept on. He stood by the window holding a mug of steaming liquid.

He sat down next to me, leaned over, and kissed me on the lips. Butterflies took flight. When he pulled back, I asked, “Why did you do that?” I blushed, feeling anxious, thinking of how dangerous he was, but that trait somehow made him more appealing. His heterochromia stare—one eye green and the other brown—mesmerized me.

“I don't… I don't know.” His voice cracked. It was the first time I'd ever seen him unsure of anything. “I just wanted to.” He got up and grabbed his shirt from a chair. “Anyway, thank you again for helping me last night. There is breakfast in the sitting area.” He pointed to the adjacent room, avoiding my gaze.

“Sitting area?” I sat up, pulling my knees in, and saw where he was referring to. Across from the bed and down three steps stood indeed a sitting area with three white couches, two orange lounge chairs, and a long metal table in the middle with a huge mirrored wall. All surrounded by windows and a sliding glass door.

As he donned his shirt, I could not help but stare. He was in great shape. He had a tattoo of a Vuszen, the Ethos military crest featuring the head of an eagle and the body of a wolf that covered his back. Crisscross daggers shielded his heart. His left upper arm was covered in a foreign language with tribal markings surrounding it. They stood out against his sun-kissed skin. His dark, shoulder length hair had carefree waves and it reminded me of the ocean.

He glanced over at me. I inhaled deeply and quickly faced away. I felt hot, the embarrassed kind.

He seemed so much more mature than the boys back home. Being royalty I'm sure played a part in that. He was probably used to mature females too, not girls who wore superhero shirts and baggy jeans like me. Then it dawned on me.

“Ronin, how old are you?” I asked, shifting over feeling a bit awkward just sitting there while he was up getting ready for the day.

“Why do you ask?” He walked into his closet.

“Just curious.” I began to blush. “I mean, you look young but I just wondered…”

“Eighteen. Why, I ask again?” He came out of the closet holding two black and gold daggers and looked between me and them.

“I don't' know.” I pushed a piece of hair behind my ear, now sitting on the edge of the bed. I watched him examine each weapon like I would a shirt. “It just seems like…”

“That I'm older?” He stared at me. “My speech and my demeanor are a product of my upbringing and title. In addition, going off world one needs to appear older than what they are. It's about survival. You're not the first to tell me that.” He went back in the closet and I heard him shut a cabinet, then walk back out with the bigger dagger. He sat on the window seat and applied black boots. “Let's eat. I need ten thousand calories a day. I can assume you do as well.”

“Is that how much we eat a day? I never counted. I just ate.”

“I can only imagine what you eat. Yes, our metabolism calls for that. We burn a lot of calories in a day.”

“I'm going to ignore that remark about what I eat and use the facilities.” I stood and pointed towards the bathroom.

“There are accommodations for you,” he said before I could even ask that question. “Mindalous made sure what you need is at your disposal.”

I nodded politely, then walked over to get cleaned up. I hurried up cleaning my face and attempting to tame my wild mane. I was starving, but then again, when was I not? Then, it hit me. I felt no aches or pains like I did on Earth. First, my strengths seemed heightened when I fought the blue creature and now this. Ether may come with some serious perks.

I cut off the light and headed to the sitting area where Ronin was waiting. A bright light cascaded through the window behind him as he read over a binder in one hand and held a piece of fruit in his other. Sitting on the couch, I began to put different meats, cheeses, and breads to my plate. He barely noticed me.

“How are you feeling? You seem miraculously better,” I asked. When I looked up, he stood right in front of me and offered me a colorful plate filled with an assortment of fruits. I took the whole plate.

“You saved my life, Connor—thank you for that. It means a lot to me.” I was not used to this gentle side of him—only his darker side. But I didn't really know him. “I owe you a lot. I could have easily called for the doctor once we landed but you being here didn't expose us to any questions the doctor might have had.”

“Ronin, bringing me to Ether to hide from your father is what got you into trouble in the first place. Me helping you last night was payback for protecting me, and don't forget the bracelet that saved my life back on Earth. I'm supposed to be dead right now but because of you, I'm alive.”

He clasped his fingers together behind his back. “Last night you were just another excuse Shanuk used to attack. He's hated me ever since we were young lads. He's wanted to be second in command for as long as I can remember. Don't fret; being the prince keeps me in harm's way.”

“Is it that bad here? I'm not trying to be naive but…”

“I should have never said that to you before: you being 'naïve'. And yes, it's that wicked here, but how could you possibly know my way of life? To do cruelty is natural to Ether. A title does not hold much value unless you enforce it.” He spoke so matter-of-factly. His face held no expression, which I'm sure was a product of his upbringing as well. “And in the past, I most definitely enforced it upon the San. Ironically, it always affected me somehow.”

“Because you are San—that I know—and instinctively, we're not supposed to harm one another,” I explained.

“Is that so? I've harmed San, supposedly my kind, as you and Bynder say. Maybe I am San but a tainted one, Connor. Nurture holds a powerful sway.”

“But your father lied to you. He probably had you, I don't know, use your confusion and anger towards us. He forced you to do things against us because he is twisted and you had to, right?”

“Yes, hatred for my upbringing and my father was my dictator at times, which all made hurting the San possible. But looking back now, I would go into seclusion afterwards.” He faced away for a split second, then quickly back to me.

I was about to ask him more about his world but there came a knock at the door. He held a finger up to his lips, advising me to stay quiet. “One minute,” he said from across the room. “Stay here. Whoever it is cannot see you from the door.”

I lost sight of him and heard a male voice. I didn't want to eavesdrop so I got up and peered out the window onto the garden of greenery. When he returned, I noted his demeanor had darkened. “Monlow is summoning me to the Dom.”

“Where?” I asked, glancing at the piece of paper in his hand.

“His palace. I'm to arrive at his throne room at once.” He stood at the top of the stairs and crumbled the telegram in his hands. His tranquility appeared to have been crushed with it.

“Wait a minute. You two have different castles?” That was a stupid question; of course they did. Why would he take me to his place if he lived with his father? “Sorry, ignore that question.” I felt a little embarrassed. Then I thought of the bad conditions in Elonium. Two luxurious homes versus those poor conditions. How unfair was that?

“If you knew Monlow, you would, too. He's watching me more closely ever since I've failed in bringing you to him. I've never failed him before. So, either he is truly confused as to how you somehow continue to elude me, or he thinks I'm betraying him. But ever since visiting Earth, my thinking has changed towards him and when Tanikka started telling me bits and pieces of my past, I've started to see him for what he is.”

“Ronin, you can't go.” I grabbed his arm when he turned away.

“I have to.” He observed me as if bewildered by my reaction and I abruptly let go of his arm. “He will just send guards to retrieve me anyway.”

“If he suspects you of treason, then why hasn't he killed you?” I followed him up the stairs into the other section of the room.

“Monlow is a sadist. He loves to make others agonize, not knowing where they stand so he could come for them at any time. It's more torturous that way,” he said so coldly, without inflection. He then walked into the closet to grab another weapon from his cabinet.

Ronin stood facing the cabinet. He didn't move and I could not blame him. Monlow sounded awful and being in a room with him must have been ten times worse. “No matter, Ronin. Just hold true to the fact that you are San. I don't doubt it and neither should you.”

“Somehow, those words provide me with little comfort.” He held up the blade and stared as if contemplating a decision. After a moment of silence, he looked at me. “How can you be so sure of what I am, Connor, when I'm not? You all say that I am San, but that parasite sitting up there on the mountain gnawed away at my soul for so long, he has infected me with disease. So, I ask you, Connor, how much San is even left in me? What's left of me after he's eaten away at my sanity?” His tone brimmed with resentment.

What being could cause one's mood to change so quickly? Monlow must have been a cruel and insane monster. I needed to say something, anything to Ronin so he would not do anything drastic. “Ronin, this world he built for you, his world, is all lies. It was his anger towards the San, the misery he held against them—that's what he fed you. You did what you did to survive and that meant hurting our kind at times but it ate away at you as well.”

“He's killed his own kind, him being a San himself, so easily by the hands of others. Killed to get the throne, not trusting the innocent, taking from the ill begotten … the list goes on.” Ronin twisted the device in his hand. “Yes, I was pulled in two different directions, so what is left of me?” he asked, standing so close to me. He gripped the dagger tightly as his eyes bore into me.

“Strength.” I refused to back down. “You are no Monlow, Ronin. I don't know what you're contemplating with that knife, but you've managed to survive in an existence that has ripped you apart and yet, here you stand. You're fighting that plague called Monlow and you've found your kin in order to do the right thing. That alone should tell you something. Trust in that. Right now, you must play whatever part you need to in order to survive, then heal later.”

“All I can trust is my anger and need to survive.” He rushed around me and grabbed his long black leather coat, applied his belt, and sheathed his daggers within their holders. Then, he stopped by the door. He glanced back slightly. “Don't leave this room for anything and don't open this door for anyone. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” I said.

“If anything happens, someone will come for you,” he ordered, opening the door.

“Be safe,” I said as he walked out. My stomach turned thinking what it must feel like every day not knowing if it would be your last by your own father's hand.

Chapter 2

Ronin

Out the door I went after another summoning by the man I had once called father, the one I used to look up to and habitually followed orders from—but no more. Now I have to bide my time until the ceasing of his existence. If Monlow knew I was no longer a true believer of his, then he would rid himself of me just like he'd done so many others.

As of late, he's questioned my loyalties and that in his mind is just cause for these incessant summons. Rather than Monlow confronting a person outright, he loved to toy with their psyche in the hopes that they would break. It was tiresome—he was tiresome—but to blatantly refuse his request could prove fatal.

I could only assume the reason for this summoning was because Shanuk and his assailants had gone missing. Lately, paranoia was his only ally and this vicious partnership was running rampant.

Although I now knew that Ether was not my place of birth, it was, in fact, my home. Monlow might have kidnapped me as a young lad but he'd made sure I'd done enough damage to make a name for myself here, and I could no longer stand by and let this planet rot away like my insides had by his influence.

“Tessie,” I addressed my driver. “I will take the aero-glider out myself.” The short, swollen man politely bowed his bald head. I normally had a chauffeur but today I needed to make a stop before reaching the mountain, and having witnesses to this unplanned trip was not an option.

I hopped in the aero-glider and pressed the ignition button. Easing the vehicle out of the carport, I flipped on the internal propellers and lifted off in a hurry. I ascended into the air, rushing to get to Tanikka's home. My keeper, the one who watched over me so dearly, the one I cared for against my father's order and never knew why.

As I veered through the air, I could not help but think of our relationship. She'd always held a special place in my heart when my father taught me nothing but malice. I'd always protected her, made sure she was cared for, and never forced her to live in my palace. I'd assumed it was because she was my den mother of sorts, not just my caretaker, but now, I knew differently. She was San.

What it must have taken to watch me grow into anything else but what I was destined for. What anguish she must have borne to not say anything, to desperately want to protect me and not be able to. Monlow, gifted in the art of taking another's abilities, must have taken her powers years ago. How hard it must have been to live here alone and exposed.

I slowed down on the outskirts of Flinus and cruised near her pod, where she felt safer. Touching down on her cobblestoned street, I hurried to her place hidden by saplings. I did not knock or call out to her, but instead, stormed into her humble home and observed her in her normal attire of earth toned top and long skirt. She was stirring a brew or possibly mixing herbs but no matter what, it always smelled welcoming even though I'd never told her this.

Standing at the door, I gripped my belt and watched her expression of surprise slowly turn to bewilderment. “Ronin…” escaped her lips but her words failed her when I rushed over and hugged her tight. Her lungs gasped at my sudden, out of character behavior.