The Son of Thunder

Chapter Nine

Above is the Prime Rashaman, the girl-child who is four annae old, but stares at you with ancient eyes.

Lightening showed them to the conference room where Shawna, Beast and Warrior were already seated. Torches were lit on the wall and candelabra were on the long table. Lightening sat next to Shawna. Yuanshi chose the seat next to him. Fatelle, fearless and wise, sat next to Warrior. The other Star Children crowded around the table. Never had so many been shoved into this room.

"You have our attention," Lightening said.

Fatelle, the Prime Rashaman, spoke. "The Acidonians are attacking us." She was four annae old. An ancient woman stared out from her dark brown eyes. She looked nothing like a typical Star Child, her unkempt orange hair alive and wild around her. She also didn't wear the standard white robes, but rather wore a torn pink dress.

"Knowing the perpetrator hasn't helped us," Warrior said, his eyes gazing down at the tiny urchin. "We have alerted our people. A few have been able to kill his assailant, but the victim is always lost. The slightest bit of their poison is fatal. They find us when we are alone and isolated, unable to get help."

"Warnings are useless. We can't force our people to stay home. We seek a solution," Yuanshi said. "Can you help us?"

Beast growled, "You shun us as if we were plagued."

"I agree," said Shawna. She switched her eyes to Eternity. "I recall being accused of murdering Constana the Great."

"I don't want your help," Eternity said. She stuck her nose in the air and folded her arms.

Lightening put his hand up for silence. "What have you tried?"

Camilia rocked a small child in her arms, said, "We don't allow any member of the Star Children to leave alone. One must take at least one other person and one must tell two others where they're going."

"Only groups of five or more have been effective," Yuanshi said. "The others fare better, but it's not enough."

"I have read the bodies of the deceased," Fatelle said. "The Acidonians are watching us all the time. They're meticulous. They will soon locate our entrance."

Lightening was thinking, considering, trying to find a way to help all their peoples. He leaned back in his chair. His gaze fell on Rhysya. He couldn't help being curious about his prophesied bride. She was so small. She was obviously a juvenile. Father must have been delusional to predict their union. Thunderstorms still scared her. He caught himself staring and moved his eyes to the table.

"You need to leave Valley of the Star," Shawna said. "You're not capable of fighting. If it's in danger of being discovered, it must be abandoned."

"It's our home. We can't leave it," Rhysya shrieked.

"Then die," Beast spit.

Yuanshi's level voice interrupted the others. "If we leave, where do we go?"

Lightening checked Shawna before making the offer. He wasn't going to make her happy, but he saw little option. "Others have already sought refuge here. We have rooms available."

"For hundreds? Thousands of us?" Yuanshi said.

Eternity flopped back in her chair. "I won't allow it."

Yuanshi made his glare as hot as he could and drilled into Rhysya, but she remained placidly in her seat and shivered just being in the same room as the Son of Thunder. So Eternity dictated their fate. Yuanshi quaked. He wanted to lurch out of his chair and shake Rhysya. Eternity had wanted to exile him ages ago. It was just the excuse she needed.