Hybrid: The Awakening

Prologue

Date on Earth: Monday, October 2 

All conversations have been translated from Axonian to English for the readers' convenience.

"Commander! What's our course of action?" Tesha yelled above the chaos. The Jh'ai protectors had finally found them, and they were surrounded.

The spaceship the group of rebels had stolen was barely holding together. Broken pieces were scattered everywhere, and fire gnawed at the walls. Half the crew was already dead. Chances of survival were not promising.

The mission had been so close to success. Just below the ship was Earth, a place where the three remaining Jh'ai could be hidden from the bloodthirsty Axones of Nibura, who wanted to use them for power. On Earth, each Jh'ai would choose someone worthy to bestow its power onto, giving that someone the ability to protect it from getting into the wrong hands.

For generations, the Axones were the beings who would be chosen by the Jh'ai. However, their visions had become clouded by the opportunities that arose from taking advantage of the immense power. Removing the temptation was the only way to guarantee the safety of the galaxy.

The spaceship shook as another beam was shot at it. Tesha barely managed to keep her balance.

"Commander!" Tesha repeated. Commander Aster sat with her knees on the ground and held one of the dead rebels in her arms. The deceased creature had been one of the commander's closest friends.

Commander Aster gently put her friend on the ground and stood up, wiping away her tears. Now was not the time for mourning.

"Everyone, retreat to the escape pods!" she ordered. The remaining survivors rushed to the pods, trying to escape before another beam was fired. The commander turned her back and rushed to the room that held the three Jh'ai, dodging the flames and debris as she weaved her way to the sacred objects.

The Jh'ai were placed on a small metal table. Commander Aster took a shaky breath and put them in a strange contraption that resembled a miniature rocket ship. She pressed the red button that was positioned next to it, sending them off to Earth—her backup plan for if all else failed.

Tesha had watched Commander Aster run back to the Jh'ai. Without hesitating, she turned around and chased after her.

"Tesha!" Commander Aster hissed as the young girl came into her sight. "I told everyone to get to the-"

"I know what you said," she interrupted, "and I will not leave you." The commander let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well now, you must hurry. At any moment, one of the blasts could cause major destruction-"              

Almost on cue, another beam of light fired onto the small escape pods, causing a chain reaction to demolish all of them.

Including the people inside.

Commander Aster watched in terror as the remnants of her crew were destroyed. She had led a suicide mission.

But the mission has succeeded, she reminded herself. These people had not died in vain. And Tesha is still alive.

"Follow me," the commander told Tesha. She led her to a secret compartment on the far side of the spaceship. The young human gasped as she saw what lay before her.

"A secret escape pod," Tesha said the words as a whisper. "But there is only room for one of us. As our commander, you should-"

Commander Aster cut her off by pushing her into the pod.

Tesha barely had enough time to process what had happened before the commander closed the door behind her.

Tears streamed down the commander's face as the girl screamed at her continuously.

"What are you doing? Let me out, I won't leave you!"

"Tesha, we don't have much time, so please listen." Upon hearing the defeated tone in her leader's voice, Tesha momentarily stopped pounding on the clear door.

"Remember when I sent Zogi to Earth?" Commander Aster asked Tesha. She gave the commander a shaky nod. "I need you to find him. After you've found him, search for the humans chosen by the Jh'ai. Teach those humans about its power and the responsibility that comes with it. Can I trust you to do that?" Tesha cried harder.

"No, please." She whispered. "You should be in here, not me."

"Goodbye my Starburst," Commander Aster whispered back. "I love you." With that, she pressed the eject button, sending Tesha flying towards Earth.

Tesha couldn't recognize her voice as she screamed. "Mother!" She banged on the walls, but she knew it was too late. Her heart shattered as she watched the ship her mom was on explode into nothingness with one last beam.

And just like that, she was gone.

Tears fell down her cheeks. Everything in the universe felt wrong. Her mother didn't deserve to die. She was the bravest, most heroic woman Tesha had ever met. She would have done anything to take her place.

Tesha wanted to give up. The creatures who she had once called her friends and family had betrayed her, as well as killed the only person in her life she had left. She was on her way to a planet that she was from, but had never visited. A place more alien than the aliens she had lived with.

But she didn't forget her mother's last wishes.

"I promise," she whispered. "I will find Zogi and the chosen ones, and I will protect them with my life. I will avenge you."

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Author's Note:

Hi readers! Thank you so much for taking the time to click on this story and give it a chance. Feedback and constructive criticism are always appreciated, as this is my first book.

I have completed writing this story already; right now, it is just going through some editing. But I'll be posting the rest as soon as that's done.