Jordi, the fourteenth planet from the star Raydius, was a sanctuary of peace and beauty. The celestines, our race had spent generations building a utopia. We were not a species of warriors. Conflict was a foreign concept to us, and any death from violence was almost unheard of. Our only struggles were against the natural world: sickness, aging, and the occasional disaster. Even our death rate was low, with most of our kind living long, peaceful lives.
This was the world I loved. A world where my sister, Jessie, and I could roam the endless grasslands without fear.
Jessie and I were playing hide and seek under the golden glow of Raydius. I had just found her behind a tree.
"Found you!" I shouted with a grin, pointing at her as she stepped out of her hiding place.
Jessie's white hair shimmered in the sunlight, cascading down her back in soft waves. Her dark pink eyes, like twin suns setting on a clear horizon, were filled with playful defiance. She crossed her arms, feigning frustration. "You always win!"
I laughed. "Maybe if you didn't hide in the same spot every time..."
We collapsed on the grass, enjoying the warmth and peace of the day. Jessie had just turned thirteen. She was growing quickly and had the elegant beauty of a maturing celestine. Her pointed ears twitched slightly at every sound, a trait she'd inherited from our mother.
"I love it here," Jessie sighed. "Do you think it will always stay this peaceful?"
"Of course," I replied without hesitation. "This is Jordi. Nothing bad ever happens here."
But my words would soon be proven tragically false.
A shadow suddenly fell across the grasslands, dimming the light of Raydius. We both froze. The air felt heavy, charged with a strange energy. Slowly, we looked up.
A massive UFO hovered above us, its dark metallic surface gleaming ominously. It was one of the alien ships that had visited Jordi before, claiming to be peaceful researchers. We had welcomed them with open arms, trusting in their words. But now, something was different.
"Thomas..." Jessie whispered, her voice trembling.
Fear gripped me. The ship began to descend.
"We need to go!" I grabbed Jessie's hand, and we sprinted toward the village.
By the time we arrived, chaos had already erupted.
Our once-beautiful village was a scene of horror. Homes were on fire, their walls crumbling under the weight of the flames. Celestines ran in every direction, their screams filling the air. Mothers clutched their children, desperately trying to escape. Soldiers, those who had been trained in basic defense fought valiantly but were hopelessly outmatched.
Jessie clung to me, her eyes wide with terror.
"We have to find Mom and Dad," I said, my voice steady despite the fear in my chest.
We raced through the burning streets, dodging debris and fallen bodies. The scent of smoke and ash burned my nostrils. Every step felt heavier than the last.
When we reached our home, we found our mother lying on the ground, injured but alive.
"Mom!" I cried, rushing to her side.
Her golden eyes, filled with pain, met mine. Blood seeped from a wound in her side. "Thomas... you shouldn't be here."
"Where's Dad?" I asked, panic rising in my chest.
"He's with the others, trying to hold them off."
Jessie knelt beside her, tears streaming down her face. "We can help-"
"No!" Mom's voice was firm despite her weakened state. "You must take your sister and run. Get to the hills. You'll be safe there."
"But-"
"No arguments, Thomas. You're strong. Protect her."
Her words hit me like a hammer. I had never been asked to take on such responsibility before. But the look in her eyes left no room for refusal.
I grabbed Jessie's hand. "We have to go."
"No!" she cried, struggling against me. "We can't leave her!"
"She wants us to be safe," I said, forcing back my own tears. "Trust me."
With one last glance at our mother, we fled.
We reached a high hill overlooking the village. The fires below painted the sky in shades of orange and red. Jessie sat beside me, shaking.
"They're going to die, aren't they?" she whispered.
"I don't know," I admitted. "But we have to believe in them." I pulled her into a hug, hoping to comfort her.
An hour passed. The sounds of battle continued, then suddenly stopped. The eerie silence that followed was more terrifying than the noise.
A loud mechanical hum broke the stillness. We looked up to see the alien ship hovering above the village. From its underside, a massive object began to descend.
My heart stopped.
"The atomic bomb..." I breathed.
We had learned about it in school, an ancient relic of destruction stolen from the human race centuries ago. It was said to have the power to obliterate entire civilizations. And now, it was falling toward our home.
"No!" I screamed. "Mom! Dad!"
But there was no time. Instinct took over. I grabbed Jessie's hand and ran toward the forest.
The bomb hit the ground with a deafening explosion. A shockwave tore through the air, flattening everything in its path. Trees splintered. Buildings disintegrated.
We didn't make it far before the blast caught up to us. The force threw us to the ground. Pain exploded through my body as debris tore into my skin. Blood poured from countless wounds, but I didn't care.
I crawled to Jessie and covered her with my body, shielding her from the worst of the blast.
"Jessie..." I whispered. "Stay with me."
Her eyes fluttered open. She was alive, but barely. Blood stained her white hair, turning it crimson.
"I'm sorry," I said, tears streaming down my face. "I couldn't protect you."
She smiled weakly. "You did your best, Thomas. I love you."
Her hand slipped from mine, and her eyes closed for the last time.
"No... Jessie!" I screamed, my voice raw with grief.
My strength was fading fast. Darkness crept in at the edges of my vision.
But I couldn't die. Not yet.
"I will get revenge," I vowed. "For Jessie. For Mom and Dad. For everyone."
With my last ounce of strength, I let out a scream that echoed across the cosmos.
Then the darkness claimed me and I slept an everlasting sleep.