Untitled MCXIX SAGA

Ries (Act I)

Life on Planet Ries would seem rough to some, but I enjoyed the quiet life I had quite a bit. After discovering the Ether for myself and being tossed into a drama of galactic proportions I really miss my little red planet and my tiny hut. I used to live with my brother Artemis on Ries, until the day Lleader's organization showed up on our red spec looking for someone. We lived a short walking distance from the only town on the entire planet, populated by a handful of kind souls with no access to natural resources to sustain any growth. Because of their lack of independence my brother and I grew extra food and brought it to them periodically. This is where our story begins.

Artemis and I had gathered as much food as our harvest would allow; the majority of which was organized in large rucksacks and carried into town by the two of us. We lived secluded, hidden fairly deep within the only living forest left on the poor Planet Ries. Our home had only one red star which wrapped it in a constant sunset, the sky was always a dim red. I remember Artemis saying,

ARTEMIS

"We continue to grow all these extra crops because we know our parents will return right?"

AIDAN

"No, we continue to grow the crops because we have to eat. And the people of the village are in need of our surplus. Without their help I wouldn't be able to make cool things like my board here, so I don't mind helping them out."

We filled the bags with an assortment of fruits and vegetables that grew from the rich soil our parents had cared for over a long period of time; the only real soil on all of Ries. My mother used to tell us that if we stopped aiding the people of the planet, we would end up alone here. My mother, July, and my father, Eizen went missing years before this day. They had to leave the planet for reasons they wouldn't confer with us, but they promised we would see eachother again. We were warned that it would be a long time before they came back, they raised us to be self sufficient for this reason. I never put much thought into it back then. I wonder what my parents are doing right now...

Once filled, those knapsacks were at least three times larger than Artemis and myself, and well over three times heavier. It would be enough to feed all 34 villagers when added to their own small food harvests. We both carried a giant bag of provisions up a path that twined through the forest in a sinusoidal wave to the edge of the forest, which sat atop a hill about 10 body lengths above the village built below. We remained silent the entirety of the walk, I remember because I thought it was strange. I could feel something was out of place.

AIDAN

"You feel that? It looks like there is an awful lot of activity going on in the village."

ARTEMIS

"Yea, the air stinks. Should we keep our guard up?"

The dark coat provided by the canopy ceased to shadow us as we entered the dim red glow of the open world. Artemis squinted while his eyes adjusted to the light and I answered.

AIDAN

"Yes."

What we saw next was quite the surprise. Just beyond the town were three black spaceships, each with a large circular hull towering over the small temporary structures that served as a home for the natives of the planet. The ships appeared to be giant metal bugs, lifeless and hollow. The ground level was an elevation much lower than the hill where Artemis and I stood, we could see the entire landscape. The people were being attacked by soldiers in black uniforms, each wearing the same helmet made mostly of a very circular black tinted glass or crystal. The soldiers had the appearance of bug-men, like their ship. Screams could be heard below as people were being attacked and dragged away by the armed men.