"Father, where are you? I've missed you so dearly," A gentle, melancholic voice echoed through the darkness. The whispery plea seemed to reverberate within Mike's subconscious, tugging at his heartstrings. "Come back to me, Father. Return to Perebia, and let's bring our unfinished journey to its rightful conclusion. Come to me..." The ethereal summons was abruptly shattered by the blood-curdling squeal of an unseen creature, its glowing eyes piercing the shadows.
Mike's eyes snapped open and screamed, "No!!!!!!", he jolted upright, his breathing frantic and ragged. His face was slick with sweat, and his heart pounded against his chest. The sound, still resonating in his mind.
As he struggled to calm himself, he whispered reassurances under his breath, "It's not real, just a nightmare. It's not real..." But the haunting images lingered, refusing to dissipate.
A few minutes passed before the door handle clicked softly, and the door creaked open. Mrs. Smith entered, her face etched with concern, her eyes red-rimmed from worry. "Mike, darling, are you alright? I heard your screams. What's troubling you?" she asked, her voice laced with maternal solicitude.
Mike's mutterings continued, a soothing litany to calm his racing thoughts. "It's not real, just a nightmare... it's not real..." He seemed uncertain if he was truly aware of his mother's presence.
Mrs. Smith settled beside him, enveloping him in a warm, comforting embrace. Her gentle hands stroked his back, and her soft lips brushed against his forehead in a reassuring kiss. "Everything is alright, my love. You're absolutely fine," she whispered, her voice a balm to his frayed nerves.
Mike's dammed emotions burst forth, and tears streamed down his face as he clung to his mother. "Thanks, Mom," he whispered, his voice trembling with gratitude.
"Get some rest, dear. We'll talk more tomorrow," Mrs. Smith said, her hand reaching for the door handle.
But she suddenly pivoted, her expression transforming into a stern gaze. "And next time those nightmares terrorize you, don't scream. Show them who's boss. Take them down like you did those NPS agents at the hospital."
Mike's eyes widened in surprise. "You believe what they said, Mom?" he asked, curiosity lacing his voice.
Mrs. Smith's eyes flashed with intelligence. "What do you take me for? I'm more perceptive than all of you and your father combined," she declared. "The nurse who attended to you at the hospital told me she witnessed the whole ordeal. She said you sent those agents flying before she could even call for help."
Mike's face had betrayed him, and his mother had noticed. "I thought they were exaggerating until I saw your reaction last night. You didn't deny it, did you?" Mrs. Smith pressed, her gaze piercing.
"Dammit!" Mike muttered under his breath and slowly lay back down, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
"Goodnight, Mom," he said, resignation in his voice.
"Goodnight, my son. I love you," Mrs. Smith replied, her tone softening as she exited the room.
As the door clicked shut, Mike clenched his teeth. "Inability to lie is the worst curse ever," he whispered to himself, frustration etched on his face.
The darkness closed in around him, and his thoughts swirled with the implications of his mother's words. How much did she know? And what would she do with this knowledge? The uncertainty gnawed at Mike's mind as he drifted into a restless sleep.
*****
Djuma stood atop the towering spire, gazing out at the breathtaking night landscape of Earth below. The stars twinkled like diamonds scattered across the velvet expanse, and the city's lights shimmered like a canvas of molten gold. He double-tapped the comms device implanted in his neck, just below his right ear.
"I've finally found the Jyuran, Miram. He's on the Fog Planet," Djuma announced, his voice firm and resolute.
…..
"I know you're worried, but I can handle this, okay?"
…..
"Of course! I haven't met him yet, but I know where he lives, and I can trace his scent."
…..
I've just arrived only a few hours ago, I can't approach him now. I need to first access the planet's technology and understand their ways of life before I can blend in without being detected."
…..
"Don't worry about me, my daughter. I'll avoid the star's energy drain. I'll be fine."
He rummaged through his pouch and produced the provisions Miram had packed for him two days ago. The food was still fresh, a testament to the peculiarities of space-time.
…..
"I know you're going to ask about the food next, I'm about to eat now, okay?"
….
"It's supposed to, but time dilation takes care of that. Everything remains fresh – the meat, fruits, everything," Djuma said with a chuckle.
As he bit into the crisp, apple-like fruit, the sweetness exploded on his tongue.
"Take care of yourself, Miram. Wait for me in Perebia. I'll be back soon," Djuma said, his voice filled with affection.
With a final double-tap, he disconnected the comms device. Only then did he realize the immense energy drain from their conversation. Exhaustion washed over him, and he crumpled onto the tower's surface, his face etched with worry for Miram, who must have lost the same amount of energy he did.
As his vision blurred, Djuma's thoughts lingered on his daughter's safety before he succumbed to a deep, restless slumber.
****
Wednesday morning dawned, and Rachael knocked on Mike's door, her voice echoing through the hallway. "Mike! Wake up! It's morning!"
When met with silence, Rachael's concern grew. "Can you hear me, Mike?" she shouted again, but the door remained stubbornly shut.
Mr. Smith's calm voice intervened from downstairs. "Leave him be, Rachael. He'll come out when he's ready."
Rachael's anxiety lingered, rooted in past experiences. "I remember how it started the day he lost his sight... I have to check on him."
Suddenly, the door lock clicked, and Mike's angry face appeared. "What's with all the noise, you goddamn spoiled brat?" he yelled.
"Language, please!" Mr. Smith's voice boomed from downstairs, a mixture of warning and annoyance.
"Sorry, Dad," Mike and Rachael chimed in unison.
"I can't find my second uniform, where did you put it?" Mike asked, his irritation still palpable.
"Oh, sorry about that," Rachael replied. "I helped iron it yesterday before meeting you at the hospital. It's with me. Wait a minute, let me go fetch it."
As Rachael departed, Mrs. Smith called out from downstairs, securing her husband's tie. "We leave in five minutes. Make sure you're both ready, understood?"
Mike and Rachael replied in perfect harmony, "Yes, Mom!"
*****
Mann watched the Smiths' red SUV drive away, his eyes lingering on the empty bowl and cup beside him. He spoke into his receiver, "The family's left, over."
A pause, then Mann continued, "Everything seems normal so far. Do I still need to monitor the house?"
The captain's irate voice crackled through the receiver. "Shut up and do your job!"
Mann's reply was laced with resignation. "Yes, sir."
He switched off the receiver, his frustration boiling over. With a clenched fist, he slammed the steering wheel, triggering a loud honk.
"Shit! Shit! Shit! Fucking shit!" Mann's muttered curses filled the air.
*****
Dahra's thunderous voice shook the roofless chamber, his eyes blazing with malevolent fury. "You failed to bring my father?" he bellowed, his gaze piercing Grix, who cowered, bowing deeply.
A chilling, inky mist swirled around Dahra, as if darkness itself was coalescing into a palpable entity.
Grix trembled, his voice quivering. "Y-yes, my lord... I located him, but... but I couldn't retrieve him. The star planet's inferno consumed my entire team when we ventured into its atmosphere."
Dahra's face twisted in disgust. "Incompetence breeds catastrophe. You survived while others perished?" His hand conjured a churning vortex of dark mist, its tendrils writhing like living serpents.
Grix cowered further, his eyes wide with terror. "M-mercy, my lord!"
"How could you squander the lives of my followers?" Dahra's voice dripped with venom. "You even murdered innocent and defenseless creatures, yet failed to deliver my father!"
Grix's face contorted in shock. "H-how did you know, my lord?"
Dahra's eyes blazed with an otherworldly intensity. "The power I granted you was not only protection, but also a leash. I witnessed your folly, your reckless abandon. You led my men to slaughter!"
Grix begged, his voice cracking. "Forgive me, Dahra! Grant me another chance, more men... I'll retrieve your father, I swear! I know where he is."
Dahra's laughter was a cold, mirthless sound. "I also know where my father resides – the Fog Planet, adjacent to the infernal world where your incompetence doomed my men."
Rising from his throne, Dahra's dark mist vortex swirled around him, as if feeding on his fury. "Your services are no longer required, Grix. Your failure is an affront to my power."
Grix's desperate pleas echoed through the chamber, his voice cracking with terror. "Mercy, Dahra! I'll bring your father, dead or alive! Just spare me this once!"
Dahra's laughter was a cold, menacing sound, his glowing eyes flashing with amusement. "Dead or alive? You amuse me, Grix. Do you think even I, your lord, could slay my father? He's invincible, a titan in the universe!"
As Dahra spoke, his eyes dimmed, and with a flick of his wrist, the churning vortex of dark mist shot forth, enveloping Grix. The palace was shrouded in an eerie, malevolent haze.
Grix's screams were muffled as the dark mist constricted around him, lifting him off the ground. His limbs flailed wildly, but the mist's grip was unyielding. His struggles grew weaker, his cries fading into gurgles.
Finally, Grix's body went limp, his eyes frozen in a permanent scream. The dark mist loosened its hold, and Grix's lifeless form crashed to the ground, emitting wisps of smoke and fumes.
The guards averted their gaze, horror etched on their faces. Two of them approached, their footsteps hesitant, and carefully lifted Grix's body, carrying it out of the palace.
As they departed, the dark mist dissipated, slipping back into Dahra's body. His eyes reignited, burning with an otherworldly intensity.
The chamber fell silent, the only sound the faint whisper of Dahra's breathing, a reminder that death lurked within the shadows, waiting to claim its next victim.
"Let this serve as a warning to all who fail me," Dahra's voice, low and menacing, echoed through the roofless chamber.
As Dahra returned to his throne, a colossal Anthropter emerged, his muscular physique marred by blood-stained scars. His naked upper body told the tale of a brutal battle. Approaching Dahra's throne, he bowed deeply.
"My lord, I've returned from Leria village," he announced, his voice firm, yet laced with deference.
Dahra's grim expression demanded results. "Welcome back, Domra. Did you capture the refugees hiding there?"
Domra rose, his eyes locked on Dahra. "Yes, my lord. They're now in our custody," he replied. "The digging of the new well has commenced, my lord."
Dahra's transformation into a shadowy mist was instantaneous. He swirled around Domra, re-forming into his imposing Anthropteroid figure.
"My father, the one I've awaited for forty years, has finally emerged," Dahra declared, his voice low and menacing. "He's on the Fog Planet, amidst the star planets. I charge you, Domra, bring him before me."
Domra's resolve was unwavering. "I'll fulfill your command, my lord."
As Domra turned to depart, Dahra's warning echoed through the chamber. "Remember, Domra, failure is an affront to my power. You're my most trusted warrior; I expect unwavering loyalty."
Dahra's dark form settled back onto the throne, his eyes blazing with intensity.
Domra pivoted, his nod a promise of success. "I understand, my Lord. Your father will be brought before you, no matter the cost."
With a fierce battle cry, Domra launched into the orange day sky, joined by dozens of armed Anthropters. The clouds swallowed them whole, leaving Dahra's palace shrouded in an ominous, foreboding silence.