Astral Legacy Book 1

3

It had been another two sunsets since Kershala had arrived on this planet. Kale had continued to show him great hospitality and his body was on the mend. Even though Kershala hadn't really spoken to him he could feel a bond forming between them. He had taken his time to grieve alone and Kale had been respectful of his wishes to remain silent. Kale had left for the "grocery store" and Kershala found himself wandering around the home he had spent the last days in. It was rather large and well lived in. Still images in wooden frames lined the walls in certain rooms. Memories of a time since passed. Some of the images were colored some were black and white. All of only a couple different humans, the concept of the images was strange. The ancient Daora had done similar things to preserve the past but now since their people lived on the run, they had to store them on portable computers like the AI, Anubis, Kale named it. Nothing like this existed of the Daoran people anymore. Kershala picked up one of the pictures and looked it over. He touched the glass plate that protected the image. The image was that of a youngling with an animal, not unlike the one that seemed to follow him around the house. Kale referred to it as Rhodie and had explained that it was his grandmothers' dog in conversation with the AI. The youngling was clearly Kale at an earlier age. He sat the picture back on the table that lie just in the door of the "living room" and walked further into the room. The floor creaking under his feet he looked out the large glass window and into the yard. It had started raining and the day was dark with the sun hidden behind clouds. The rainfall was calming he was able to hear it through an open window in the "kitchen".

The quiet was something Kershala wasn't used to being comfortable in. He had spent his entire adult life defending his family and running for his life. He had grown accustomed to the fact that if it was silent something was likely going to try and kill him or his family soon. By nature, it made him uneasy, but the fact that the Shiron were likely unaware of this planet's existence brought him solace in the quiet. He couldn't recall a time when he could completely let his guard down. He walked over to the "couch" that sat along the wall and took a seat. The AI core was on the table next to it.

"How are you feeling Kershala?" it asked.

"It still hurts," Kershala paused, "but it is bearable." Rhodie came into the room and curled up at his feet. Kershala had taken a handful of the heart shape treats the dog seemed to enjoy from the kitchen and put them in his pocket. He sat one on the floor in front of it and the dog happily crunched down on it. "It is nice to feel truly safe, for once isn't it?" Kershala pet the dog on the head then rested his elbows on his knees and gazed at his surroundings for a little bit. "I cannot remember ever experiencing this kind of quiet before."

"You never have." There was the sound of a combustion engine outside and Kale's vehicle pulled in the yard. Kershala watched from the seat as Kale got out of the car with a couple of sacks in his hands and walked out of sight. He could hear the door in the kitchen open followed by the rustle of the bags he carried. Kershala sat and listened to the commotion from the other room. The sound of doors opening and closing, and drawers being moved around echoed through the house. Kershala heard a glass break, startled at the sound he joined Kale in the kitchen.

"Oh, hey Kershala," Kale bent over to pick up glass shards that had fallen to the floor. "Watch your, step. I didn't see the glass by the sink." Kershala watched him take several larger shards and place them in the "garbage can". He grabbed a tool from next to the counter with bristles at the end of it and began running it across the floor to get the rest of the shards. "Hey, remember I said about cleaning you up a bit? I watched a YouTube video last night about how to trim a beard like yours and I'm convinced I can get you looking pretty slick. I got some stuff for it at the drug store." Kale smiled at him as he finished cleaning up the mess. Kershala was initially offended at the fact that Kale thought he looked unkempt but after seeing himself in the mirror a few times he realized he was right. It had been a long time since his last real grooming. Something the oldest Patriarch would traditionally help him with as a young man, but they hadn't had time in recent months as they fought to avoid detection.