MIST: AFTER THE APOCALYPSE

Chapter Eleven

 Chapter Eleven

Year 2786, 5th Sun

Vicinity Three (Demoor)

It took Aradag years to calm his ever-growing anxiety. Over this period, the burden he shared with Rose drew them closer. He now had a family to return home to, something to look forward to after hours of gruelling work both in the Navy and in Count Donald's personal office.

What he had heard from Lady Avis since their last encounter was scarce, but he knew of her nine-year-old son, and her new role in the castle as the Count's heir.

Aradag knew she was safe, even if the letters stopped coming. So when a new one arrived one morning as he was having breakfast with Rose and their daughter Lara, it intrigued him.

After reading it, his neutral mood soured.

"Martha is back..." he mumbled as he read the letter. "Take my son away... tenth birthday? Ah, the TDI... memories..."

"Aradag?" Rose called. "What did I say about leaving the breakfast table?"

"Not to," he replied absentmindedly, "but this is important. Remember the unfortunate series of events regarding Martha years ago?"

Rose paused, then turned to her daughter. "Lara, honey, go to your room for a moment. Daddy and I need to talk about something important."

The child nodded and scurried off, excited to play earlier than usual. Once she was gone, Rose's smile dropped into a scowl as she glared at her sleepy husband. "Do you never learn? Stop engaging me in such conversations in front of the child!"

"I'm sorry, but..." he trailed off, fully digesting what he read in the letter. "Rose. Martha, he wants to take the lady's son away. They're protected by the TDI, but what if Martha kidnaps him before..."

"Breathe, you gremlin," she cut in. "Calm down. The woman will be alright. If she is under the TDI's protection, I doubt even magical beings can harm her or her child."

He didn't admit it to her, but Aradag doubted it. He felt the eerie sensation of being watched every day, whether he was surrounded by people or by himself.

Later that day, he watched the sun set with his family in their favorite park. It had been an easy day at work for both parents, who were all too happy to take their child somewhere other than their living room for a change. Unfortunately, the view distracted them from the darkening sky. By the time Aradag noticed the portal that opened behind them, the sun was long gone and so was all light.

A horrifying creature in thick armor emerged from the portal. It fell forward then stood, its yellow eyes high above Aradag's. Before he could intercept it, it ran towards a frozen Rose.

"Get down!!" Aradag shouted, jumping onto the monster, who swatted him away and sent him flying.

He was able to distract the beast, though; now he was its target. Aradag leaped at it again and again, but each attack was countered with force. When its last punch left Aradag a crumpled and bloodied mess, it grabbed Rose and her daughter by the hair and dragged them behind it into the portal.

Aradag nagged his muscles into throwing him after them. As soon as he crashed into the ground, he screamed in pain, unable to do any more. He couldn't see anything, but he could hear his family screaming.

"Welcome," bellowed a familiar voice. "You look pitiful. Did my guard give you trouble?"

"Where is my family? Who are you?"

"I told you to stay away from her, or else! But your foolishness exceeded my expectations. Look at you now... your family is mine. My planet does not accommodate filthy human beings. Cage him until further notice!"

"No!" Aradag screamed, his lungs aching as he tried to stand. "Rose, Lara, I'm here, I'm coming!" His efforts were in vain; his legs were broken beyond movement. "Who are you?? Why are you doing this to me?"

"It seems you have forgotten what happened with that ghastly Vagon?" he replied.

"Martha!" Every breath strained his body.

"Rejoice, Earthling. You and your family are the first humans to come to planet Krazoth." Martha said as they caged Aradag, then someone came and whispered something to him. "Oh, it appears you are now the lone survivor. Take him away. He could be useful for some experiments."

"You, you'll pay!" Aradag wheezed and foolishly slammed himself into the bars of the cage. He was chained by strong metal chains that glistened exactly like Martha's armor. His thrashing didn't so much as dent the material, but it caused him to pass out.

When Aradag came to, a beast that looked like the one who first attacked him was shaking him awake. "How can you still be alive? Look at her, she is dead!"

The young man looked around; he was in some sort of laboratory, imprisoned in a containment facility. In the cell beside him, Rose's body was strewn across the floor, near unrecognizable.

"Rose...!" he sobbed after the shock faded away. "Rose! Honey, wake up! You'll—you'll be okay..."

"Oh, shut it already!" the beast scoffed, slamming a mask onto Aradag's face. "She's dead. It was the dark energy of Krazoth that killed her. The hole in her stomach didn't do her any good either."

Yet another one approached the bars that held Aradag back from tearing the planet apart. "Keep pumping energy into him until Lord Martha changes his mind. Let's see how long this thing will last."