PROLOGE PART 3

Aragon Valley, Anavrin…

Mya and Niu had watched the fireball rip across the sky and slam into the valley floor. It had torn across the valley for some distance before the dust settled.

“What was that?” Niu asked with some surprise.

“I do not know,” Mya said as awed as her young companion. She could not see what had landed, but she could still see the smoke. Her mother had been right. The Gods were angry, and they had sent something down, something that had torn up a section of Anavrin with a vengeance.

This was the change her mother had foreseen? Mya climbed down the cliff face and into the valley below. “Where are you going?” Niu demanded from above.

“I need a better look,” she had to see what it was. She had to warn her people to see what had angered the Gods. Her feet hit the ground below, and Mya took off running in the direction she had seen the smoke, leaving Niu behind. She was sure-footed and as fast as anyone as she made her way through the thick brush.

It was four miles to the crash site, but Mya could run it with ease. She leapt over upturned roots and ducked low hanging branches and leaves. She rounded shrubbery beds and slid down a slope as she grew closer.

Mya soon came to a clearing, one that had not been there before the fireball fell from the sky. In this clearing, she saw something strange. A huge shining cave made up of strange hard white material. It looked like it was damaged as sparks came from strange hanging vines.

Mya placed her hand on the outside of the cave and pulled it back quickly. It was hot, very hot, and she had burnt her hand. Cautiously Mya drew her stone knife and entered the strange cave. She did not understand what she was seeing. Windows with some form of wall you could see through. Something that looked like a seat but on the ceiling. There were odd lights, and she reached out to push around an object that sparked and caused her to jump back. She looked around, fear starting to take hold. What was this?

She went back outside and looked at the path of destroyed plants and torn-up earth. It had caused such devastation in such a short time. This thing was evil. Mya had to go tell her people. She moved into the surrounding brush when she heard a noise that caused her to pause. Crouching down low, she hid in the brush and watched silently with her knife at the ready.

Coming up the path of destruction, she saw a man. At least, she thought it was a man. He was tall and dressed strangely with cloth covering his whole body. His hair was as black as the night sky, and his flesh was pale. He was not Saricou. That much was clear. All her people bore the same stark white hair and darkly bronzed skin. Mya had never seen anyone like this man.

Was he a God?

Was he a demon?

One thing was for sure; whatever he was, he had fallen out of the sky. He had destroyed the life around him, and she was not going to risk being seen. However, she found herself unable to leave, unable to turn away, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Mya kept low and crept silently through the bushes as she tried to get a better look at the man entering the cave. He was carrying something. He dodged the sparks and spoke. She had no idea what he was saying, but from his tone, she would guess that he was not happy.

She watched as he used the things he was carrying to bang and strike things with as he spoke to himself with anger. The heat must have been getting to him because he eventually removed his shirt and tied it about his waist. He certainly looked like a man, strong and hard everywhere he should. Mya crept closer; she watched as he kicked the walls and threw his tools to the ground. He then slid down the side of the odd cave into a seated position and ran his fingers through his dark hair with frustration.

He then looked up and in her direction. She did not think he saw her, but she got a clear view of his face. He was handsome, even by Saricou’s standards. His eyes were dark, and his features strong but soft. His nose was straight, and his jaw was square. There was a cut on his forehead from the crash and blood; he was no God - Gods did not bleed. This man was mortal.

***

Brody let his head fall back against the hull. He was so screwed. He was not sure he could fix the controls or even get the distress beacon to work. Everything was destroyed, and he was stranded. He should have listened to Winston; he should not have pushed it. Now he was stuck on this backwater planet alone, with no food or water and no way to survive.

His head ached, and so did his body. He had no idea how long the day was or when night would fall. He needed to address his basic needs first. He needed shelter, food, and something to drink. He was sure his rations had been scattered around out there somewhere. He would have to search for them and see what he could find, preferably before it got dark.

Brody got up and ducked the swinging exposed cables. He looked up at the huge reddish sun in the sky above. God, it was hot. It would explain all of this incredible tropic growth. If there were these many plants, then there had to be a water source somewhere.

He started walking the path of the wreckage, looking for signs of his rations, but only found more pieces of his shuttle. He supposed he could try to eat the plants, but there was no telling if any of them were edible. He walked along the edge of the brush and paused when he thought he heard something.

Brody looked around but saw nothing but plants and dirt. He took another step and again heard something. He paused once more and looked around. There were huge leaves and tall flower-like plants that were taller than he was. He stared at something that resembled a Venus Fly Trap and another gigantic orange and black Tiger Lilly.

Brody stared at the plants. He could almost swear he saw the petals move. Brody watched with amazement as the flower slowly opened. He had been so distracted he had not noticed the thick vines on the ground creep up and wrap themselves around his leg.

Suddenly Brody’s feet came out from under him, and the vines lifted Brody up into the air, dangling him over the huge flower. Brody screamed as he saw the center of the flower was filled with thousands of sharp teeth. The plant was alive, and he was about to become plant food.

Without warning, the plant gave a tortured cry, and Brody fell to the ground hard, jarring his shoulder painfully. On his hands and knees, Brody quickly scrambled away, looking back to see a long arrow pierced through the heart of the carnivorous vegetation. It was strange to see a plant bleed, but he was grateful it had not been him. Then it struck him… if an arrow had killed the thing that had intended to eat him, then where had the arrow come from?

Brody dragged himself to his feet and turned around. Forty feet away, he saw his answer. A woman, young but like nothing he had ever seen before. She was human, well humanoid, at least. She stood tall and proud, her bow still in her hands. Her figure was flawless and barely dressed. She wore what looked like animal skin boots bound to her feet with leathered lace. A long loincloth that covered her, front and back, but not at the sides. The two pieces of fabric were tied with leather laces on either side of her curvy hips. A strip of animal hide wrapped around her ribs, crossed over her breast and tied up behind her neck. She was primitively dressed with what looked like a quiver of arrows strapped over her shoulder and a long bone knife tied to her waist.

Her skin was tanned, a dark bronze from head to toe. Her hair was long, hanging down her back and reaching her bottom. She wore it loose with thin braids randomly throughout her hair, complete with beads and what looked like feathers. Her hair was snow-white, and her face was beautiful. She had a classic oval face with a small nose, full lips, high defined cheekbones and the most incredible shining silver eyes that sparkled like the stars themselves.

She was the most incredible woman he had ever seen in his lifetime. So beautiful and exotic. She had saved his life and proven he was not alone on this planet. Brody took a step toward her, and suddenly she bolted into the brush like a frightened deer. She was gone in seconds as if she had never been there, to begin with.

Brody turned around and grabbed the shaft of the arrow. He pulled it from the… well. He was not sure what it was. The arrowhead was bone or some sort of white stone; he was not sure which. He decided to keep it. He may need to stab something else that may try to eat him. Suddenly, Brody did not feel like eating. He wanted to forget the rations and get back to his shuttle. He had to fix the distress beacon and get himself off this planet before it killed him.