EDIT: Just a warning..this is somewhat long. Also, there may be parts that seem out of place. This is due to the fact that I am writing this as a larger story.
Gabrial stepped out from the crowd and quickly snatched the bag of apples sitting on the vendors cart and fled the scene as quickly as possible; he wanted no trouble today. Snaking his way towards his "home", he bit into an apple, and in his greedy bite, he forgot that he was surrounded by people and bumped into a tall, dark haired, and elegantly suited officer. He attempted a quick duck around another man to escape, but it wasn't fast enough.
"Hey there son, don’t you think you should apologize for running into me back there?” the man asked.
"Sorry sir." Gabrial muttered. His only wish was to escape as soon as possible.
"What is in the bag boy? Something special for mother back home maybe?"
"Yes sir, my mom is sickly, and the doctor says an apple a day will make her healthy again." Gabrial hoped the officer wouldn't notice the obviousness of his lie.
"Well then, run off home and stay out of trouble." Gabrial nodded his head and was a few steps away when the vendor came wobbling down the street yelling furiously.
“My apples! Someone has stolen my apples!” He blurted. As Gabrial poised to run, he was caught by the shoulder and spun around.
"Stop boy, or I'll make sure you get more than just a hand chopped off!" The officer bellowed, just before Gabrial landed a sharp kick to the man's knee.
"Let go!" Gabrial asserted. The man’s grip loosened, and he started off as quickly as he could. His heart pounding and his muscles sore, Gabrial finally stopped in a back alley to catch his wheezy breath. He was uncertain if he had been followed, but he walked calmly out into the open town square. The breeze was gentle here, and the bustling crowds made for good hiding. The noise of the market and other daily chores of the citizens was a peaceful effect on him. Unfortunately as soon as Gabrial decided he had not been followed, the officer re-emerged from the side roads.
“Stop the boy with the apples!” The officer yelled into the crowd. Gabrial looked around to see what would happen. People glanced around awkwardly, then when their gaze fell on him, they understood.
He bolted across the open square, dropping the apples; food would have to wait. He decided to test his luck, springing up the side of a building and grabbing a ledge. He held on tightly and jumped to the next, as he was about to make the final leap the window beside him opened and caught him square in the face. Pains shot through his head; his mind however reminded him of his situation.
A young girl, not a year younger than he, had opened the window and let out a shriek. He gazed into her eyes. He thought she was beautiful, but the shouts of the officer propelled him onward. He glanced down to see her watching him go, a thrilled look in her eyes. He jumped to a nearby roof and lay down, waiting for the pain, and the officer, to fade away. What would he do now he wondered. Will I starve for one more night?
Now that he was certain he had not been found this time, and his head had stopped throbbing, Gabrial descended, walking the streets of the somber city, a poor place of little hope. His hovel was only a few blocks away now. His home was a small hole with four posts supporting a net filled with hay, it stank of fish on days of heavy rain. Though when it did not stink of fish, it often smelled much worse, one reason he was thankful for plentiful rain.
His hovel was barren except for a single bed made of a stolen sheet over hay, and a solitary dog bowl in the opposite corner. Where was Renair? He lay down, and his weary eyes closed quickly. The noise of the warm summer breeze was comforting, a lullaby of the world. Gabrial wanted nothing more than to sleep forever at that moment.
He awoke to the feeling of a cold nose prodding his face, followed by a wet tongue. Renair had returned.
“Sorry boy, no fruit today.” Gabrial sleepily said over a yawn, his mind briefly remembering yesterday's events, the panic he felt when the officer had him. It took him a minute, but it wasn't only Renair who had come back; someone else was with him.
“Thank you for bringing me, Hound,” a voice called. Gabrial looked about, and saw that behind him was a man silhouetted by the setting sun, “I finally claim my reward.”
“I honor our agreement Lokai, the boy is yours.” The dog replied. Gabrial was astonished, his dog could talk. Gabrial assumed then that he must be sleeping so he smacked himself hard in the face. He had forgotten about his earlier encounter with the window girl, and he felt nauseous now from the throbbing pain in his face.
“This is no dream Gabrial.” The accented voice said, seemingly reading his thoughts. The shape then stepped forward, revealing a tall man with pinned up red hair, and a wide smile on his face. His clothes were foreign to Gabrial, a black tank top with one long sleeve, and blue pants too tight for his frame. Who was this man?
Once again the man seemed read to his mind, “I am Lokai, the fifth ancestor of Loki.”
“Loki, as in the Loki of Norse myth?” Gabrial didn't see how that was possible, nobody could be the grandson of a nonexistent god.
“I am not familiar with this 'Norse' you speak of.”
Renair chimed in again, “It was a religion that was practiced on Earth many hundreds of years ago, started by your father Lokim, to honor your ancestor Loki.”
“Really,” Loki said, and Gabrial thought he sensed a hint of curiosity in his voice. “I am surprised my father had never told me of this.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” started Gabrial, “you expect me to believe that this guy's father started the Norse religion? What am I saying, my talking dog told me! I'm insane!” Gabrial plopped onto his bed, blowing a few leaves out from under him, intending rest.
“If you intend to insist this is a dream over and over again I will show you what is true.” Loki mumbled as he walked towards the tight eyed boy. Gabrial wasn't prepared for the blow when Loki brought his palm down on the back of his shoulder, a white hot pain shot through his arm, forcing him to pass out.
As Gabriel slept his mind wandered through a domain of a brightly colored fog, and of strange places had never before seen or heard of. He tripped over a branch and landed face down next to some sort of bright blue toad like creature. Only this toad was different. Its face was more curved, and decorated with spiny bones that curled up to its head into horns. It started to resonate a deep song in its throat and let out a loud series of yips and yangs.[i]
[i]“Where am I?” Gabrial asked the toad.
“You are seeing my home world.” answered the voice of Lokai from the toad. Gabrial realized then that the voice had not come from the toad but to its side. He stood and the toad hopped away, oblivious to the goings on around him.
“What was that?”
“We call them Helmheads, the bones that protrude from their faces are as strong as steel.”
“Where are we really? This place doesn't seem like I'm on another planet. More like I'm dreaming.” Gabrial said.
“Stop your sarcasm boy. This is indeed a dream now, but what you see is real. You see this now to understand me, and to receive the seal of my heritage.”
“Fine. I'll go along with this and believe you. Why this forest then?”[i]
[i] “This is where I met Fenrir as a child, and where we bonded to each other.” Lokai explained.
“Who is Fenrir?” As Gabrial asked this, a large silhouette of a wolf appeared in the fog and stepped into the clearing. The wolf was unnaturally large, like a rhino. It had gray fur everywhere but its mane, where there were streaks of red. Its giant paws were the size of Gabrial's head. Gabrial didn't even want to think about its teeth. As he thought this though the wolf opened its mouth wide, revealing a row of razor sharp teeth as long as his hand.
“T..that's Fenrir?” Gabrial stuttered. He was amazed, but also frightened beyond belief, that was no wolf, but a monster.
“Yes, my bonded animal. You must eventually choose one as well.”
“Why?” asked Gabrial. His mind wondering about what other sorts of creatures this planet held.
“They are our eternal partners, our battle brothers. Where we go, they go, because they are us.”
“What do you mean?” Gabrial was confused now. How could an animal be part of you?
“When we bond we give up some of ourselves to make our partners sentient, like we are sentient.” Gabrial now felt bad for staring, hoping he had not hurt the wolf's feelings.
“Don't worry, you didn't.” Lokai said.
“What?” Gabrial asked.
“You did not hurt his feelings.”
“You can read my mind?”
“It is an ability of my family, yes.” Lokai responded. Gabrial now felt uncomfortable, he didn't want this stranger to see his thoughts.
“Don't worry,” Lokai started. “The seal I have given you will keep me from doing so, once it is completed of course.”
“Why is that?” Gabrial, had so many questions.
“I can explain later, but for now reach out and take that Helmhead.” Gabrial searched through the grass and picked the toad up. When he picked the Helmhead up, he felt a pain in his shoulder again, and everything started to melt away, dribbling down invisible walls.
Gabrial awoke to a low light radiating form the ceiling, where am I, he wondered. He sat up the long irregular metal table he had awoken on. The room around him was circular, as far as he could tell anyway. He guessed that he was roughly about 20 feet off the floor. No door was to be seen either, the “walls” all blended into a uniform low light.
“Hello?” Gabrial called into the lights.
A female voice answered back, “Be well and calm, Lord Lokai will be present shortly.” Gabrial was sure he had heard that voice before, but he wasn't even sure where he was, certainly nowhere on Earth. Maybe still a dream?
“Once again boy, I remind you, this is no dream.” Lokai replied to his thought, standing in a now seemingly open door along the wall. He put one foot over the edge and stepped into the empty room. Gabrial was amazed, Lokai stood there without worry.
“How?” Gabrial asked, reminding himself that Lokai was, on Earth, related to an old god.
“It is a habitation chamber. We use them to adjust newcomers to space.” Lokai said. He was slowly starting to turn upside down, and he eventually made a full rotation when Gabrial decided to try it. Balancing was the challenge, it felt like he was being pulled in every direction at once, it was disorienting. “The normal ship gravity is like planet gravity, straight down.”
“Okay so I orient myself downward.” Gabrial tried. As he was orienting though he had noticed that the table he had been on was retracting. He had no sense of direction now, Lokai had exited as well. His adrenaline started to spill out of his brain, his heart pumping quickly, nerves tightening, he felt everything. It was not his intention, but his arms were flailing, and his legs kicking wildly into the half gravity. He heard a voice now, the same female voice from earlier.
“Stay calm Gabrial! You must learn to stabilize.” She instructed. Pain was all he felt now though, his arm dislocating. So his other flailed harder.
“Shut it down.” Someone was beside him now. Who? Lokai? No. Too soft were the hands that grabbed him. His eyes started to fade, the low light becoming even softer, until eventually sleep took him once again.
“Gabrial, Gabrial!” a voice called to him.
“Who?” he replied.
“Wake up Gabrial! We have a problem!” the voice, now female, called to him.
Wailing could be heard beyond her voice, he was coming to. When he opened his eyes, he was looking into the face of a very familiar, very human looking girl. Dark hair, dark eyes. Why did he remember her so well?
“Who are you?” he ventured.
“No time to tell you now, we have to go.” She said as she pulled him up. He was nauseous, but it passed quickly. Lights were flashing, not the normal red like on earth, but a deep blue, almost ultraviolet.
“Can you at least tell me what's happening then?”
“We have been attacked, Odaina found us.”
“Odaina?”
“Yes, the descendant of the Norse god of...” she started.
“I could guess that!” he interjected. “Why is he attacking us?”
“You mean why is she attacking us?” she glared.
With her head turned, she tripped over a body sending her forward onto her knees. Her grasp on Gabrial brought him down too, landing beside her.
“Ow,” she groaned, her knee bleeding, “that really hurts.”
“Are you okay...” Gabrial still hadn't learned her name.
“My name is Talya,” she said. “Now help me up.” Gabrial wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her, supporting her hurt knee.
“Where to?” he asked, staring into the maze of corridors around him.
“Look at the floor, idiot.” Talya answered. Gabrial assumed there must be directions on the floor, but he saw nothing he could recognize.
“I don't see anything pointing the way Talya.”
“Cheh, I forgot you're new,” she sounded apologetic for her harsh tone. “Forward two corridors and then take a left.” she guided.
They hobbled together until they came to a giant room. Everywhere big ships stood waiting. Most of them looked small and agile, curved wings, with one man cockpits. They were painted red, and gray, Lokai and Fenrir's colors.
“Wow.” Gabrial whispered to himself. Talya saw him do this and smiled slightly, if only he had seen this when we weren't at war she thought.
“Gabrial, see those stairs,” she pointed, “I need to be up there.” Her finger had moved from the stairs to a platform with three stations at it.
“Okay,” he started moving “Why is this happening?”
“Odaina and Lokai have been enemies for many years. Lokai's father killed Odairn. Odaina's father.”
“I can see how that might hamper a relationship.” He half laughed.
“You really have no idea.” Her hardened face formed into a smile. Gabrial knew now, and he paused halfway up the steps.
“I know you! You're the girl from the window!” he exclaimed.
“Finally,” she laughed. “I'm glad you understand, but lets not forget our situation.”
They quickly made it to the platform. Talya took her place at one of the stations, it closed around her. A display appeared before her.
“Nothing ceases to amaze me here,” he said. “You have holograms.”
“Your people are close Gabrial, it's not a big deal.” Talya said blankly. Gabrial thought she would smile, but rather she slumped in her seat.
“Talya, have you seen?” one of the others at a station asked.
“I have Doln.” She said, her voice meek.
“Talya?” Gabrial asked.
“They have opened a wormhole here.”
“So, what does that mean?” Gabrial felt so stupid and useless, here he was asking all these questions, when a war was being raged. A sudden blast hit the ship, sending Gabrial into the wall. His head once again was wracked with pain. This time, however, he stood up immediately, no more passing out for him.
“This is the rear fleet Gabrial. They are invading your home system.” Talya gasped, tears in her eyes.
“I'm sorry Gabrial, if I had known I would have stopped it.” Lokai said.
“There is no way to stop them?” Gabrial asked.
“I might have something, but it will only take care of our wormhole problem.” Lokai held up a ball the size of a soccer ball. It had carvings all over it, some sort of intricate pattern. Talya looked back with this, her face showing disbelief.
“Lord Lokai, no,” she pleaded. “We haven't tested it yet.
“We have no choice, we use this and give chase, turn the ship around.”
“Are you sure Lord?” The man named Doln asked.
“Positive.” Lokai replied, no emotion in his voice.
As Doln turned back to his monitor an even bigger blast rocked the ship. Lokai was thrown across the platform, the object landing on the hanger floor, and it started to roll toward the hangar entrance. Gabrial saw this, running towards the edge of the platform.
“Gabrial no, it's too far down!” Talya screamed as he leapt. I will make it, he thought. Hurtling downward, Gabrial was sure he would land in front of the ball.
Suddenly Gabrial started to slow, he hadn't noticed before but the ship's gravity had turned off. He came to a slow stop, feet skimming the floor. He had bent his knees, just in case, and now they bounced him a slight way of the ground. The ball had not stopped rolling however, and it was speeding toward him.
He had not effectively learned how to move in this odd state of gravity, nothing like the no gravity spaceflights on Earth. He positioned himself to catch the ball as best he could, but started to flip head first. Panic was filling him again, out of instinct. His arms wanted to flail, but he knew what would happen if he let them. The object was still coming fast, and was about to roll past when Gabrial stretched out his arm, barely catching it.
“Gabrial,” Lokai called. “Stay there as best you can!” his voice urgent.
“Quick Lokai, the ship's stabilizers were also shutdown, we are turning!” Talya called.
Gabrial had assumed that they had been pulled out of whatever form of hyperspace they used, and were stuck out in the “middle of nowhere”. He now knew that he was wrong. As the ship turned, a planet was being revealed by the massive openings in the hangar. It was a bright purple, and looked like a gas giant. Gabrial was amazed at how beautiful a sight it was, the different shades of purple in the atmosphere swirling into intricate patterns.
“Brace yourself!” Lokai's voice pulled him back to reality, the hangar's openings now directly below him. Lokai was speeding at him now, on a direct collision course. He tried to position himself so that Lokai could grab his waist, but he once again started turning wildly. A sudden fwoom reverberated across the ship, power returning. He could feel gravity starting to return, but he felt no pull towards the floor. He had actually started falling, straight towards the open hangar doors.
“Gabrial!” Lokai called once again. He had managed to grab one of the few remaining ships in the hangar.
“Close the doors!” Gabrial screamed.
“I can't; we still lack full power!” Talya yelled back. She could see him falling behind her display. She input commands furiously, but every time the computer gave her the same message. Insufficient power. Now she watched with horror in her eyes. A whisper left her lips, “Gabrial...”.
“No!” Gabrial yelled. As he fell through the openings his breath was sucked away, and everything went cold. He had fallen outside, still falling. He struggled to breath, nothing coming to him. Gabrial had never thought it was something a person would feel when you died from asphyxiation, but he could now. His tight chest, his eyes fading. He started to blank out once more, his hand gripping the ball tightly.
He had pushed something on the ball. The start button maybe? He wondered, maybe he could still save them yet. Blackness covered him, sweet death taking him from his painful drowning in space. His lifeless body fell yet, when the ball activated. It stopped, Gabrial still holding on, determined even in death. It started to glow, and had opened up, revealing an engine, it started to propel towards the open wormhole, initiating its programs to detonate inside.
“Talya?” Lokai asked.
Her response was dim, “He activated the device...right before he died.” She started to cry now, Gabrial had not known her, but she knew him, everything about him, and she loved him.
“Please tell me his sacrifice was not in vain and it worked.” Lokai sounded grim.
She input a few commands through her stinging tears. “It is, his body still...”
“His body what?”
“I was tracking the device and his body, when his body suddenly disappeared from the screen!”
“Did they go through?” he asked.
“Too far away.” she replied, awestruck.
Finally took the time to finish this idea. I posted a much shorter version a few month ago, but never finished it. Now after a creative writing class I decided to focus my efforts. Any comments are welcome.
Gender:
Points: 1040
Reviews: 12