The last to go

8

"Kyra!"

A voice called her from the top of the hill. Kyra spun around. Her mother waved at her, while her father was obsessing over an odd leaf he had found. She waved back, laughing as Po squealed and flew around her. The dragon breathed fire as he threw his head back and shot up the sky, delirious with joy. Kyra shrieked and jumped up and down, reaching as far as she could until she was out of breath. Grass tickled her bare feet, the moon shone on her face. Kyra grinned and threw herself down on the soft ground, grinning as Po lowered himself and started to lick her face. His blue scales glinted in the moonlight. 

On her home planet, Lunaris, it was never day like anywhere else. The moon was their sun. The temperatures were cool, like a shadow on a hot beach. Tourist sometimes came here by accident and left after a few days, driven out by the deafening silence. The permanent night hid most of the sights. 

Lunaris was small and peaceful. The flora and fauna was completely unique to the planet. The inhabitants had special eyes, trained in the darkness. Their senses were heightened and their body temperature below average. It had taken months of training for Kyra's eyes to adjust to the brightness of the other planets. The first time the sun had touched her, it caused a blister even though she was not a Lunaris native. 

Kyra's family had migrated there because it was right in between the planets of her parents. Kyra was born and raised on the planet where the moon always hung in the sky, like a watchful eye. She had made friends there. Lyka, Pjon, Dalia. The four of them explored the deep and cool oceans together, diving as far as they dared. They climbed the highest trees in hopes of getting closer to the sun of Vesca. When it rained silver drops, they gathered it in their palms and made little bracelets.

Life had been easy back when they were children. Not predictable or perfect, but nice. Kyra's home was always filled with her mother's friends and scented with her cakes. Her friends would come over after school and play until their parents or siblings would come and pick them up. Kyra's mother loved them all. After she had died, the house became quiet but still just as homely. Her father had even learned how to bake. Her friends came by even more and they all pretended to like the cakes.

Lyka and Dalia were send of to the planet of the rain forests, Rias, to do research. Pjon had fought in the battle of Es'Tal and lost one of his three arms. He was send back and send them all letters, every month without fail. Absently, Kyra realized that he would receive a notice that she had been killed in action. They all would. It was a small sacrifice.

Kyra was sure that they would forgive her. At least they were safe, for now. Maybe one day Pjon would be sent back to fight. Lyka would probably become a nurse, given her knowledge of herbs. She always made her friends eat her creations, often because no one else would. 

Sweet, naive Dalia might end up on the battlefield. Dalia was a Luna, a native of Lunaris. She was pale as snow and her skin was always cold. Slender, elegant and quiet, she aspired to become a Moon dancer, not a fighter. She'd die in a fight. Kyra's breath hitched and a cold rock settled in her stomach.

"Kyra!"

A young voice interrupted the dream and she almost snarled at it. Then the terrified face of Shey entered her sight and Kyra jolted awake. Droplets fell on her face, it took a while to realise why. Shey's eyes were glistening with tears. Kyra's hands came up and cupped the small cheeks. She wiped the tears away, leaving trails of grime on the fair skin. Shey grabbed her wrists and clung to them.

"What's wrong?!" she sobbed.

Kyra let her go and laboriously got up from the ground. "Sorry kid... I got tired all of a sudden."

"Are you still tired?" Shey asked, eyes wide.

The truth wouldn't help so Kyra tried to think of a passable answer. She felt chained to the ground. Hollow yet heavy. Her head was spinning around and her throat dry as the sand around her. In her head Kyra was alternating farewells with denials. Kyra didn't want to admit that she regretted giving up her spot. 

Before she could reply however, her earpiece crackled, a sign of live far away. A sign of live and death. It was her captain, his voice broken and filled with unsaid apologies. He was a good man who cared for each of his students. A true Sa'n with his red skin and white mane. He would never forgive himself. Not just because of Kyra, but because of the many students he had lost before.

Kyra took a shuddering breath. Her microphone was broken. She had no telepathic abilities. Kyra turned her head to the edge of the city where the crystal peaks were still shining. The castle was far away, the finish line of an uphill race. Kyra's knees were trembling.

"Yeah... How about we rest there?" Kyra pointed at a collapsed house. The roof had slid down, like a glacier of flowers. It was a good place to lie down. A nice grave. 

"But what about mommy? And Shaya?" Shey's bottom lip trembled.

Kyra looked at her petite frame and took another deep breath.

"I'll tell you about them."