Castaway Planet

Galactic Calendar 259872/ 2000 [ Sol Year 4387/ Day 153 of 365. Sol standard year]

Days after of Crash landing/ 2

Uninhabited Island / Ruins / Human Kingdom Forest on route to Scholar's Rest

Galactic Standard Time / 0610

As the rest of the group fell back, Calcoris looked back at the Kingdom’s forces. Everything looked like it would work perfectly! They had ambushed not the Prince but one of the Generals! With him here, he could use him to kill his ‘collar’. But then they, the rebels, had been attacked from above! At first, he thought it was a Skill but it was too fast!

“We need to kill them!” A weaselly-sounding voice snarled behind him.

Calcoris only sighed and shook his head. “We need to stay alive first! We can deal with things like this later!”

“You’re weak for a leader!” The voice snarled.

At this, Clacoris turned and glared. The man standing there was shorter than he was, and his jade-green hair was short. He had a beard with crimson streaks in it and his black eyes held nothing but malice.

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“Drakoxsis, we need to be smart! Where did what hit us come from? And what was it, that was too fast for a Power and you know it! So unless you know the answers to those questions keep quiet!” Calcoris snarled.

He didn’t know how he even expected Drakoxsis to be anything but a problem. He had been sent along by the High Leader to ‘defend’ his interests. Calcoris knew the slime was here to keep an eye on him. And given how he, Calcoris had joined the rebels he expected it.

Drakoxsis looked at him and then a cough sounded. They turned to see a rebel looking at them. “Sirs, the enemy? They're climbing the tower!”

“What?!” Calcoris breathed as he sheathed his blades and ran to a tree. Climbing up it, he swiftly moved upwards. He let his mind go over everything that led him here and tried to let it flow over him. As soon as he reached a height that could see beyond the forest, he just stared in shock. The top of the Viewer platform was by an opening into the Devil’s Realm! A person in some kind of full-body suit was helping the soldiers move through an opening where a window had been! Farther down, another two people weapons were looking out from another open window. “IMPOSSIBLE!”

He could only stare in shock. This changed everything. Everything the Cult knew was wrong, and this might stop the rebellion in its tracks! If it was possible to move through that hell, then the call for Revenge wasn’t a dream! But he knew his ‘leader’ would see this as a threat. Play up what they were doing and hide behind words, Calcoris knew what that one wanted. “This is gonna be messy. And will that bastard even believe this? Cause I don’t.”

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As Drakoxis looked up at the tree, he scowled. That one was trouble, and would always be. But as long as he didn’t know that Drakoxis was behind his ‘recruitment’ then they wouldn’t have problems. But still, finding the right ‘incentive’ to get that one’s loyalty. But he was letting those fools escape without even trying to stop them! It was obvious what was happening, they were falling back so that Power user could attack the Rebels! And that fool let them do it. Well, he wouldn’t let that stand, he would act!

“You four!” He barked at four of the rebels.

“Sir?” One of them called out.

“Get the fire arrows! Five of them!” Drakoxsis barked. As the other rebels all went still, Drakoxsis just grinned evilly. The fire arrows were for setting the woods on fire if they had to escape. There was small towns around here that was perfect to use as a distraction. The plan had been to cause a fire and force some of the enemy to evacuate the town. But instead, they would burn down the Viewer. With the loss of one of the five generals, the blow would be less than losing the King and the Noble Lords. But they would still have a chance to strike them. The smoke probably wouldn’t be seen.

“But sir, only the commander can say when to use them!” One of the other rebels, not one of the four, said before Drakoxsis turned and threw a knife. The blade went into the man’s arm and he fell to the ground as the poison on it went to work.

“Did a filthy traitor like you dare to tell me no?” Drakoxsis asked softly.

“Traitor!? Those are the orders!” The man said as he glared at Drakoxsis.

Drakoxsis only glared at the man, a sly smile growing on his face. “Not a traitor, but I’m the commander when that fool is gone!”

“We have our orders!” The rebel said before he fell to the ground.

Drakoxsis looked at him for a few seconds before nodding. He turned and looked at the other rebels. Some of them had drawn their blades and the ones who had the fire arrows had pulled up a shield. But the rest were grinning like him, some were even looking at the others with eager smiles.

Drakoxsis just looked around and grinned, and then that grin became a vile thing. “I’m sure the rest of you all are such wonderful loyal soldiers. No one else needs a lesson or to their incentives?”

As one the others all stopped and looked at him, anger, fear, and disgust on half their faces. The man with the fire arrows only kept his shield up for another second before he stopped and put the box down.

Drakoxsis looked at him and then he laughed a little. “I knew that all of you would be loyal! After all our cause is just! We will be the ones who will open the gates of honor!”

As Drakoxsis walked towards the box, the ones who had grinned at his actions roared. Those loyal ones were the best in his mind and did what he did. Now there was one thing to do, kill the General before them and fall back. Then in the chaos, they would kill the King!

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As the last two of his men looked up, they talked amongst themselves.

“Can’t believe that we’re going into that hell!”

“You want to fight those Rebs with just us? And we sent our beasts away. And we should be near the Rest up there.”

Rogix saw Yogix wave at him and nodded. “Move you two, I’ll follow!”

“Sir!” They both said as they climbed.

As he climbed up the Viewer, Rogix tried and failed to figure out how this happened. The Rebels had never been that bold to attack an armed convoy. The most they had done was attack a town away from the Front and all they stole was the remains of weapons. And not even the pointy bits, but just the wood parts! The red-cloaked rebels had always been a joke. People who hated the Kingdom and struck out in ways that they would be heard, at least they used to.

Within the last year, they had changed. They had gotten organized and bolder. Now they were striking at medium towns, lone caravans, and merchants. It was one of the reasons that the weapon project had been backed really. They needed something for the War to push their side ahead! But now they also had a way to get into the Devil’s Realm.

Climbing up he saw one of the strangers standing there with Yogix. The man was helping his last soldier through the window and then he turned. It was Rogix’s first chance to see the newcomer and he was shocked. The man before Rogix wasn’t wearing armor, only a one-piece article of clothing. But it was the strange-looking crossbow on his back that confused Rogix. Where was his cousin’s blade? Shouldn’t they have grown up with the lessons from their Ship?

“You must be this Rogix I’ve been told about? An hour to meet a leader of men like you!” The man said as he held out a hand. “My friends call me Zane, nice to meet you.”

Rogix looked at him and slowly brought his hand towards Zane’s. This was something that Rogix knew would change everything. His people’s future had just become so much more.

Suddenly a war cry came from the trees before a rain of arrows hit all over the Viewer Tower. Before they could even understand was happening, they heard explosions from below.

“No, Fire Arrows! Move!” Rogix bellowed as he grabbed Yogix Zane turned and drew his weapon. He aimed at the trees and fired a few bolts of energy, and as Rogix passed him he nodded. Turning Rogix saw Zane back up slowly, firing into the forest as two more groups of bolts flew from the wall.

“Put the crystals back, now!” A voice called out and Rogix looked around. His men were all at the far back of the corridor and two others in the same clothes as Zane were farther down. As Rogix watched, the two others put two round crystals against the wall. He turned and saw Zane doing the same to where he had come through. As he watched, a line of a transparent material grew upwards, forming an airtight window.

“Who are you?” Rogix asked as he looked at Zane in awe.

“As I said I’m Zane. That’s Rodolphe and Bryce. So who are you?” Zane asked.

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As soon as he heard the war cry, Calcoris had looked up. Using a Power he had, he had been able to see the windows reform. He only stared for a few seconds, his mind going to strange places. He couldn’t believe this. Someone was able to manipulate the Devil’s Realm. And do it well enough that they could replace the windows that fast. “We could have followed them. We could have captured them. We could have…….”

He suddenly felt so much rage that he almost let go of the branch. Then without another word, he started to jump down. His mind was so clouded by his anger that he felt his face redden.

“Who did that!?” He bellowed as he hit the ground. As the soldiers he had brought turned to look at him, some looked away. The rest looked proud and Calcoris felt his anger grow. “WHO!?”

“I did!” Drakoxsis's voice rang out.

Slowly, Calcoris turned to look at Drakoxsis as he walked out of the crowd, a big smile on his face.

“And once those fools are on the ground, we’ll capture them! Once we know how to do what they did to attack, we’ll be unstoppable…..” Drakoxsis began only to trail off at the look on Calcoris’s face.

Calcoris walked over and with one fist, he backhanded Drakoxsis, sending him to the ground.

“YOU MORON! THEY AND THE GENERAL ARE OUT OF OUR REACH BECAUSE OF YOU!” Calcoris screamed.

Drakoxsis looked up at Calcoris and sneered. “What, did they escape into the Creator’s Realm?”

“YES!” Calcoris roared.

At this, everyone looked at Calcoris in shock. For a moment they couldn’t understand what he said then they all paled in shock.

Drakoxsis’s mouth dropped open as he started to stammer. “What what do you mean!?”

“I mean that somehow someone was able to bring down the windows of the Devil’s Realm! That someone could walk through that place! And you Drakoxsis, caused them to help the Kingdom!” Calcoris spat as he looked down at Drakoxsis and felt his rage peak. “And you used the Fire Arrows! We needed those for the mission!”

Ever since Calcoris had become one of the rebels, he had dealt with people like Drakoxsis. They always talked a good game, but when things went against them he tried to blame someone else. He used the lie ‘decision of the group’ by getting people to follow his lead. But never had he messed up like this!

“What do we do!? What in the name of the ship do we do!?” Drakoxsis asked as he looked around, trying to find anyone who could back him up.

“Well, how many fire arrows are left?” Calcoris asked aloud. He kept looking forward, and he heard the sounds of someone opening the box.

“There are three left sir!” A rebel called out.

Calcoris only face palmed and looked away, trying to find anything to work around this. Part of him was happy.

“We needed three of them to handle the Nobles. And two for escaping afterwards. Now what do we do? And the remains of that tower will be obvious to anyone with the Power of Searching. So what do we do with the limited supplies we have left because of you Drakoxsis? Can you answer me that?” Calcoris asked with a hard edge to his voice.

Drakoxsis looked up at him with wide eyes and Calcoris only glared at him in rage.

“You moron!” Calcoris yelled and grabbed him, throwing him at a tree. As soon as Drakoxsis slid down to the ground Calcoris pointed at him. “Chain that fool up! Someone get our fallen and prepare to move! We’re leaving with what strength we have left!”

As all his soldiers went to follow his orders, Drakoxsis tried to break free as he cried out.

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As Rodolphe looked around at the ‘natives’ he felt his heart quicken. His eyes could see that these people were all from a martial culture, and that meant a military ship. Whatever side that they were from, he hoped their ship was Loyal to the government. If not then given what he had gone through on his world, he would fight to the death to kill these people.

“Sir, I am Yogix of the Scholars! Our order was founded by a few surviving scientists among the people who found our Nation! And let me say it is a pleasure to meet fellow humans. To think you survived apart from us! Tell me, sir, does your ruler come from lines to the Vice Captain or the Chief engineer?” Yogix asked as he stepped forward and shook Rodolphe’s hands.

“What do you mean?” Bryce asked.

Yogix stopped shaking Rodolphe’s hands. He stared and stepped back as the others who had come with him looked at the three deckhands. “You must be from our ship. You’re those we called the Lost, aren’t you!? Those of the crew or passengers that weren’t with our ancestors when they were deposited in the Under!”

“Mind telling us what ship you’re all from them then?” Zane asked from behind Yogix.

Rodolphe saw that Zane had moved backwards away from the group. And as he slowly raised his rifle he nodded, ready to move if these natives weren’t friends.

“Our foreparent's ship was named the Glorious Redemption. She flew the flag of the United Earth. And fought against the Cooperation Alliance. Until they were deposited here,” The man Yogix called Rogix said as he slowly put his axe away.

Rodolphe felt his anger fade a bit and he released the tension he was holding in.

“United Earth? Wow, you’ve all been here a while haven’t you?” Zane asked with a whistle.

Yogix and Rogix looked at them as the soldiers looked at each other.

“What do you mean?” Rogix asked.

Rodolphe looked at his friends and after a few moments of silent ‘talk,’ he sighed. “The United Earth joined with other races empires and became the Federation a long time ago. And by the way, that was after they helped take out the Cooperation Alliance’s Space Service.”

Rodolphe saw Rogix stare at him and release a breath. Yogix meanwhile opened and closed his mouth a few times.

Yogix shook himself and looked at them. “But if you’re not from our ancient ship, then who are you?”

“Just a few deckhands on our first voyage aboard the Interstellar Cruise Ship Spirit of Adventure!”Rodolphe said with a grin.

“A cruise ship?” One of the soldiers asked in shock

“Wasn’t that a civilian pleasure hotel or something?” One next to him asked.

As the natives looked around at the deckhands Rogix just stared to laugh. “Then you’re all from the homeworlds!”

“Yeah, we are. Our ship crashed or something. We lost a few days before we found ourselves on this world,” Bryce said with a smirk.

“That is what happened to our ancestors in the few diaries we have from that time. I never really believed it to tell the truth,” Yogix said with a somber look.

“That’s all good, but now what!? With the viewer down, how are we to get down?!” Rogix demanded and Yogix looked away and coughed.

“That is a good…. Wait! There’s a platform at the Rest! It’s about a few hours walk from here!” Yogix said with excitement.

“That’s if this place does have a straight path,” Rodolphe said and soldiers all looked at them.

“What do you mean? We’ve seen the windows above the Rest. It’s a rite of passage to touch them!” Yogix said with despair in his voice.

“Look, man. Since we’ve been here, we’ve had to run down strange paths and try to get away from monsters. Maybe your forest didn’t have them but up there, it does. And let me say, that if place is that crazy, we might have trouble getting there alive,” Zane said bitterly.

Rodolphe looked around at the people before him and went over the supplies his group had. “Listen, we have enough food to give us all one meal, but we’ll need some of our own once we leave your people.”

“Then we need a security room! It might have a map of the nearby area if I can get at it!” Bryce said with a smile.

Rodolphe looked at Bryce and saw the certainty in his eyes and he nodded. Looking back at the natives, he swallowed before speaking.

“Listen, we survived here. I want you all to follow our orders. Don’t touch anything and if we say back away do it. Don’t go through any doorways. The landlords around here are a bit testy,” Rodolphe said with a somber note.

At this, the natives all started to look mad. As one they started to glare.

“You’ve seen the scum responsible for our capture!?” Rogix snared out the question.

The deckhands all looked at them and then Bryce winced. “Wait, the Corp war was before the Ruins were found. So you all don’t know!”

Yogix looked at Rogix and then at Bryce. “Know what?”

“Walk and talk people! So we three think this is what the rest of the galaxy calls a Ruin, capital R. So the people who made it? They died out centuries ago.” Rodolphe said.

The natives only stared at him, shocked beyond words.