The Unshadowed | Book 1 |

Chapter 29 ~ Planet Iredescent

A terrifying sight met the eyes of the two stranded irangels as they looked out the window of their ship set adrift in outer space.

It was the sight of Demian's ship pulled inside a giant mystery ship the size of four Goodyear blimps.

Cole wanted to scream and cry like Ariel, but he was like a deer in headlights, stuck in place and unable to move, helplessly watching the mystery ship swallow Demian's ship like a whale swallowing krill.

Cydtin and Valerie were long gone, having disappeared into the mysterious spiral eons ago. The mystery ship disappeared from sight, and it looked like it was their turn to get sucked into the mysterious spiral.

I have to do something. I gotta. Must....move. Cole willed himself to move, walking towards the control panels on shaky legs. He felt like he was in a trance, trying his absolute hardest to ignore the internal hellish panic that threatened to overtake him.

Cole successfully sat in the pilot's seat, taking several deep breaths to calm himself. He pressed random buttons on the screen, sending Ariel sailing towards the back of the ship. Inertia kept Cole in his seat, the ship racing forward at incredible hyperspeed. Cole barely had time to breathe, trying to keep his eyes open to see what was going on. He felt he was staring directly at the wind, everything a blur.

The ship continued at full speed until Cole saw a red light that absorbed the ship into a kaleidoscope of different shapes and colors, swirly designs, mesmerizing objects, and intricate mazes that Cole was unable to keep up with. He trudged forward as he tried to get off the seat, shielding his eyes from the bright lights and strobes.

Ariel crawled towards Cole, trying to stand up as inertia kept her down. Amid the sea of cosmic black stars, a shimmering purple sphere appeared in view, glittering with golden rings like planet Saturn.

But Ariel knew it was certainly not planet Saturn.

"Cole! We're headed for an alien planet!" Ariel shouted, fighting herself to keep from freaking out. Terror gripped her, the fear of an impending collision resounding in alarm.

Cole's jaw dropped as he stared at the incoming sphere. Could it possibly be....?

Ariel's voice shrilled, on the verge of panic. "Is there a way we can turn around?"

It was then that Cole finally found his voice. "If we turn around, we'll have to go around the vortex, which will take up all our fuel. But if we continue straight ahead, we'll hit the vortex directly. It'll be the same struggle trying to get out just so we don't get sucked back into the mysterious spiral."

Ruefulness emerged, the outward hint of his own anxiety that trepidated within him. "We may end up being tossed in another direction again. Who knows. At this point, I don't even know where Earth is; I can't find it on the map screen and I don't see it anywhere."

A cold hand seized Ariel's heart. Oh no....

"We have no choice but to crash on the alien planet," Cole said dismally, trying his hardest to stay calm even though he was having extreme difficulty doing so. He wanted to be strong so Ariel wouldn't panic, even though his insides screamed at him to panic.

Seeing Ariel was about to cry, Cole held his irangel sister in a hug. He felt her body tremble, felt her about to break down and cry, but he smoothed her hair and said, "Don't worry, Ariel. The map screen showed there were no sulfuric gases or anything poisonous, so I think we'll be able to breathe on the alien planet. The atmosphere was clear, no methane gas or carbon dioxide or anything harmful."

That is, if the information is correct, Cole thought to himself, not wanting to worry. I don't even know how I got that information; it just popped up out of nowhere.