Crimson Shadow

o n e

On the wall, there was a blue plastic clock that moved slowly. I don't think it's even working. I'd been studying it intently for what seemed like hours, although the clock had barely moved a minute. The more I stare at it, the more I realize that this isn't my room, or any other room I'm familiar with, even if it appears to be.

I look around the room as I swivel my head. The room appears to be weird. The infinite ceiling was lit by gliding lamps, and the chamber had no doors or windows, only plain white walls. I extend my hand, but it is withdrawn by something. I take a quick scan around my body and discover I'm tethered to... nothing. I was practically levitating since there was nothing underneath me. I began to shake my body, hoping to get out of whatever this was.

"No need to do that," a glacial voice echoed behind me. I twist my head, but instead of being relieved to hear another human-like voice, I am horrified. This thing standing behind me was not human or anything near that.

If you imagined extraterrestrial beings as green things with big black eyes and egg-shaped heads, think again. Whatever this was, it had paper white skin and glowing purple hair. Her eyes were cat-like, bright purple and I'd say she looked almost human.

Once I am all untied and standing up, curiosity builds up. "You're not human?"

Her voice was still serious, but a bit of amusement was added too. "Not really. I mean, we are, but not fully. We're a combination of Alkinis and humans. We were banished from our planet by our species, or well, half of our species. So we relocated here and we call ourselves Alkis. We pretty much do the same as the Alkinis. Telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, you name it. "

A door opened out of nowhere, and the hybrid began going towards it, which I followed without saying anything. We entered a large stone hall with the same gliding lamps and a wide range of tables in the center. The Alki pointed up to what appeared to be millions of little glass condos stacked on top of one another.

We walked in silence for a while, until we reached an elevator that looked modern. "So what are you-" The elevator's ding, signaling that we had arrived at the top floor, cut me off. The doors opened, and without a word, she quickly walked past me into the dark lobby.

Someone, I assume the Alki, clapped their hands, and the chamber was immediately flooded with light. The room was cramped, with a desk at the far end and a slew of little drawers spread over the walls. A door randomly appeared, and now, at the counter, there was an Alki with the same glowing hair as the Alki next to me.

"I see. Rumour has it that a new Alki has come to our planet. That doesn't happen very often. " Alki said in a deep voice, but amusement could be heard. "Oh, and how impolitely of me. I am Keres, the leader of the Alkis".

Keres took my hand to shake it, but I quickly tucked it behind my back. What is he saying?

"Good, I'll let Odalis take you to your apartment," Keres said, pointing at the girl next to me, and whispering something in her ear. Odalis whispered something back to Keres, and then she turned to me.

"Follow me." Odalis waved her hand at me, instructing me to follow her.

The walk back appears longer this time, as we travel through corridors and little rooms interminably. But it didn't bother me. Keres and Odalis had both mentioned that I was an Alki, and it had stayed with me. I'm not foolish enough to just claim I don't understand and dismiss the situation as a "mystery." I understand, but I believe there is a mistake somewhere; after all, I was going to sleep in my bed yesterday, and now I'm here, in a foreign area that may or may not be on planet Earth.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't even notice we had arrived at what appeared to be a glass apartment, identical to the ones I had seen for the first time in the main hall. Odalis entered the flat through one of those floating portal doors. I quietly followed Alki around the flat, glancing around. It was nicely decorated, much like a human's.

As I slide my palm over the dark wood table, Odalis turns to me suddenly. "We need to talk." A serious tone replaced the sweet and amused one. I looked at Alki's face and the smile was no longer there.

Without taking my eyes off her face, I sat down at the table, and so did Odalis.

We need you. Literally. You're a powerful Alki soldier, and we need you to finish this war, Silas. " My mouth fell open at the sound of my name. How did she know my name?

"I'm no soldier," I mumbled, shaking my head.

"I'd say otherwise."

"And what war? What are you talking about? To whom?"

"Let me show you." Odalis stood up, touched her bracelet, and with that, we were teleported into what looked like a balcony. I could see everything, and we were indeed in space.

Odalis pointed down with one finger. "With them," she said, following her finger and looking down.

My heart skipped a beat as I saw what was there. I looked back and forth between Odalis and the planet.

"You want to-No you can't. It's not true, is it? " No, no, no. I could not comprehend this. It was impossible. She couldn't declare war on this planet. No, not like this.

Odalis turned to me, an evil grin resting on her face, any sweetness disappearing, and as if she read my thoughts, she said, "Yes, we're declaring war on planet Earth."