Kadance: Another Tale

2

"Pull back, you are to near the invaders, Jenk," Sareen sends, but it is too late. Their escape is blocked. Their people panic, Jenk tries to help them. Some manage to escape before he feels a burning, then a darkness.

Sareen watches as her people fight desperately to be away from the invaders. Ice encompasses her as her son goes down. All over his people fall fighting. Some dead, but most just captured. She hopes they are strong enough. Those strong enough will be released when the invaders leave. But she fears that most will turn, turn and betray the rest.

So many are already dead or captured. Already many have given betrayal to Dayla and the clans. They have been bought and have become traitors. So many of her people will join with the traitors.

Sareen turns from the scene of the fight with heavy heart. She will send a message to her clan, she will let her family, Jenk's family know that he is gone.

She sends the message but is soon overcome with pain. So much pain from Dayla and it becomes worse each day. Soon it will be Sareen's turn to be captured. Sareen falls to her knees as the pain becomes unbearable. Dayla is in agony, both for what the invaders are doing to her and what she feels from the betrayal of her people.

Sareen prepares the curse for the traitors but before she can utter it she is overcome and falls into darkness.

The invaders gently lift Sareen, "Yes, this is the one in charge. Commander Kellan will want to talk with her. Maybe she can get her people to stop fighting us. I don't like fighting civilians." The warrior says sadly.

"I wish we'd never came here. We're needed to fight the damn shifters, not mine a planet that has a humanoid population not part of the Alliance. They have no weapons, nothing, yet they are willing to fight us." The corporal says in admiration.

"But it's not enough. The Commander says that once the natives are suppressed that they'll turn this over to the civilians to mine and farm." The sergeant sorrowfully says. At his words the temperature drops drastically. "This place gives me the creeps. The beauty of the planet is unsurpassed, but it is unwelcoming to us. The fighting with the natives makes me sick. The sooner we leave the better."

The corporal gives whole hearted agreement. They feel as if a malevolent presence watches them. They know there's nothing there, no one is watching, but they both feel like targets are painted on their backs. Unconsciously they start walking faster. By the time they get to their conveyance they are all but running.

"She is awakening. Commander Kellan wants to be here when she does." The medic says softly. 

The soldier listening talks softly. "Commander, she's waking now," the male voice says. He pauses as if he's listening before he says, "Yes, sir." 

The male voice speaks to the medic, "Commander Kellan says you are to give her whatever she needs, but she is to stay here until he can speak with her." There is silence after those words.

The voices mean nothing to Sareen. She floats in a black void. It's safer there, no pain. When she wakes her pain, Dayla's pain and her people's pain will be almost unbearable. But she was chosen for her position because of her dedication to her responsibilities as well as her power. It is that part of her that drags her from the safety and peace of the blackness to the all encompassing pain of her reality, of Dayla's pain.

As the pain slams into her she screams in agony. Then there is nausea that racks through her.

All around her the medical personnel are stunned at her reaction. Their voices like pesky buzzing in the background. Their words of astonishment go by her unheeded and not heard. Her whole world focuses on the pain, Dayla's screams.