Planet X Pandora

When Your Time Comes

Zia opened her tired eyes, slowly getting up on her elbows. She winced at the throbbing in her temple. She saw her friends sprawled out next to her, their chests rising and falling. Luke worked tirelessly, trying to patch up Kyle, who took the worst blows. The old man was preparing some sort of a potion in a large pot.

" What are you doing? " she asked.

" Large scale healing. " he answered without pause.

" How? "

" Magic. " he smiled genuinely.

" Very funny. "

" There is a lot for you to learn. Perhaps ask your friends. " he gestured towards the sleeping bodies.

" Ask them what? "

" About magic. " he replied as if that was obvious.

Before she could reply, a loud banging came from the makeshift door.

" OPEN UP! " the man bellowed from outside.

" That's not very wise of you, " began the old man.  " You see, I have full rights to new people that arrive here. "

The man outside paused, then let out a huge harrumph! and stormed away.

" Is this heaven? " came a voice.

Zia turned around and saw Aaron slowly getting to his feet.

" Zia?! " he exclaimed when he saw her.

" I thought you died! " he yelled.

" Yeah. I'm alive. " she said half heartedly.

He embraced her in an unexpected hug.

" Get off me! Don't touch me! " she yelled pushing him away.

" Maintain order, soldier. No time for feelings. " she said, straightening herself.

" Ian? " someone asked.
Kash slowly got on her knees, observing her surroundings. Her eyes met Zia's, and she gasped.

" Are you alright? " Kash asked her. Zia gave her a curt nod.

" Where are we? " she asked.

" Someplace safe. For now. "

Kash have her a slight nod, doubt showing in her eyes. Soon, everyone was awake and seemed well rested. The old man continued to stir in his pot, masking something behind his wise eyes.
" Dear, will you do the old man a favor?" he asked Zia in an urgent tone of voice.

"We owe you our lives. Anything. " Zia responded firmly.
His troubled eyes glazed over in a distant train of thought.

" When my boy Luke was just a child, no more than a few months old, I found him. Out in the stone cold rain, not even a towel on him. I wondered what kind of a mother would do that. An evil one. The chief wanted him dead, for he thought the boy was a threat. You see, the chief believed the ancient Kingdom of the cursed Queen would be his. This village here is what's left of the Queen's majestic rein. So obviously, the first male that I found at the bottom of the Cliff, as per the Prophecy foretold, the Chief saw him as a threat. He still does to this day. So please, take my son with you. It's not safe for him any longer. They'll kill me if they find out I'm assisting you. I have crossed my limit. I can't see the same fate cast upon my son. " he pleaded.
Zia took a moment before nodding get head and promising to look after his son. Everyone seemed glad about the decision, except Luke, who had remained silent the entire time.

" Hey, blondie. You alright? " asked Aaron, trying to get the silent boy to talk.

" What? Yeah I'm fine. " he answered.